Fund for Investigative Journalism grantees have won 2011 Sigma Delta Chi awards from the Society of Professional Journalists, in two categories.
For Investigative Reporting (non-daily publication), Rebekah L. Cowell, won an award for her “Waste Land” series in The Independent Weekly (Durham NC). Cowell investigated how low income and minority communities get stuck with other people’s waste in the form of city dumps, landfills, waste transfer stations, and hazardous waste sites.
For Magazine Investigative Reporting (Regional/Local Circulation), Kelly Virella, Marc Fader, Anthony Smyrski, and Jarrett Murphy won an award for their “Behind Bars” series in City Limits (New York City). The investigation found that some prison staff never face consequences such as prosecution or loss of job for sexually abusing inmates, and that some guards have even conceived children with women prisoners.
The Fund is proud to have supported their work, and congratulates both sets of winners.