REQUIRED TEXTS.
David Protess and Rob Warden. A Promise of Justice. New York: Hyperion, 1998. Barry Scheck, Peter Neufeld and Jim Dwyer. Actual Innocence. New York: Doubleday, 2000.

OVERVIEW

This course will explore the watchdog role of journalists in American society. The tradition of investigative reporters who expose wrongdoing and sometimes crusade for change has a long and proud history that stands alongside more conventional journalistic practices. We will examine that tradition by learning the reporting techniques that allow both print and broadcast stories to be told and by understanding the societal factors that shape their content and impact.

Our focus will be on stories about wrongly held convictions – that is, exposes of miscarriages of justice. We will examine the root causes of wrongful convictions, assess the scope of the problem and discuss ways to determine the presence of injustice.

Further, we will use advanced reporting methods – public records, database searches, interviewing and other techniques – to investigate evidence of real-world miscarriages of justice. The primary goal of the fieldwork component is educational: to learn investigative journalism by practicing it. Additional goals include experiencing the quest for truth, and, where the truth is that an injustice has occurred, finding paths to right that wrong.

In sum, the course will immerse students in the theory and practice of watchdog journalism as applied to the criminal justice system.

The course will combine class sessions with extensive field experience. The class sessions will include lectures and discussions of the journalistic, legal and societal underpinnings of the subject. The experiential learning will involve investigative reporting, by teams of students, of four criminal cases. The Classes and fieldwork will be augmented by audiovisual presentations of investigative stories and guest speakers who have first-hand knowledge of the subject, including journalists, attorneys and former prisoners who were convicted of crimes they did not commit. At least one event will be sponsored by Northwestern's Center on Wrongful Convictions, a new Medill-Law School project. (The instructor will describe the relationship between the Center and this course on the first day of class.)

The class sessions will be held on Mondays from 3 to 6 p.m., but occasional weekends or evenings will be necessary to do team reporting or accommodate guest speakers. Whenever possible, team meetings will be held during regular class hours, either in Fisk 207 or B 18.

The following topics will be covered this quarter:

March 27: The Role of the Journalist in Exposing Miscarriages of Justice

April 3: What Causes Wrongful Convictions? How Can a Journalist Spot a Credible Claim of Innocence?
Assignment: Scheck et al., Actual Innocence; Chicago Tribune, "Trial and Error" (handout)

April 10: The Paper Trail: Finding and Interpreting Legal Documents Assignment: Review case files (in B 18)

April 17: The People Trail: Investigative Interviewing Techniques
Assignment: IRE reading materials (handout)

April 24: Panel Discussion of the "Ford Heights Four" case Assignment: Protess and Warden, A Promise of Justice

TBA: NU Center on Wrongful Convictions – Public Forum

June 5: Presentations of Students' Reporting Projects/Popular Portrayals of Legal Injustice (Watch and Discuss Movie) Assignment: see EVALUATION

A bibliography of supplementary readings accompanies this syllabus.
(Note: Legal and ethical concerns will be part of each class discussion rather than being considered separately.)

EVALUATION:

1. Team reporting project. Students will work in teams doing investigative reporting of cases that must have had unjust results. The specific cases will be discussed the first two weeks of class and, no later than April 10, students will choose the case they will investigate. Each team ultimately will prepare a memorandum of investigative findings accompanied by interview notes and any documents obtained during reporting. These written materials will be turned-in on June 5 and presented to the instructor and the rest of the class. Students will receive both an individual and group grade (weighted equally) that together will be 75 percent of the grade for the course. Note: The instructor will provide verbal evaluations of individual and group performance as the quarter progresses.

2. Attendance and participation. Class attendance and participation is essential. In addition, students are expected to be actively involved and helpful to other students in the team reporting project. As much as one-third of a letter grade may be added to or subtracted from the final grade based on performance in class and team activities.

3. Historical profile. (Optional for continuing students). Each student will profile a person who was wrongly convicted of a famous crime in American history. The profile should describe the case and analyze the variety of factors that contributed to the miscarriage of justice. Particular attention should be paid to the role of the media in covering the case and, where applicable, exposing the injustice. Length guideline: 1,500 – 2,000 words. Due date: April 17. 25 percent of the final grade. Profile subjects will be distributed on the first day of class.