Anyone Can Hide ....

…unless you are an incredibly through researcher with a knowledge of public records. Investigative reporter Matt Doig of the Sarasota-Herald Tribune helped express the need for a reporter to actively pursue a lead, taking months to compile facts and information.

What shocked me the most during his presentation is the sheer ease in which any official can hide something. His reveal that a principal can maintain a straightforward employee file on someone, and then have a differently named “unofficial” file is disturbing at best. Someone without reporting knowledge would never know to ask for every single piece of information related to or containing the employee’s name. Thanks to Doig a full class of future reporters now understands that in order to combat tricky evasiveness, you really have to think tricky yourself.

The stories on housing fraud and teacher student affairs were both jarring with the amount of numerical data and statistics involved. I truly believe that numbers often make a larger impact than words with the generations of today. The amount of research was impressive; the housing story alone spanned 67 counties! Even with the help of databases I’m not quite sure I’d have the patience to look at all that research…my eyes would probably burst.

The use of databases is clearly a useful tool to keep in my handy dandy reporter toolbox. The seemingly endless rows of letters and names used in the poor teaching report made my heart begin to race; but it seems manageable with the use of a good database.

Doig did provide a key piece of advice, “help me understand.” A simple yet brilliant tactic to get someone to talk to you, taking on the role of a concerned citizen that requires their help….no one can resist a damsel/dudesel in distress. It also appeals to that deep dark part of every human being called an ego.

Walker Family

The walker family murder was also incredibly intriguing, both for the mystique and what the Sarasota Herald tribune did to get readers interested. They actually had someone create a 3D replica of the crime scene. Then they actually handed it over to the police to help in the investigation! They provide crime scene photographs, original newspaper clippings from over 50 years ago, and audio of a sheriff, Ross Boyer, who was obsessed with capturing the family’s killer.

Public records are an investigative reporter’s best friend to get to the juicy bit of any story. So long as a reporter knows what to ask for, or even a well informed citizen, no one can hide the truth forever.