Jody DiPerna When we started talking about forming the Pittsburgh Institute for Nonprofit Journalism in March of 2020, we did not know how the readers would respond or how sustainable it would be, but we knew that we wanted to fill important news gaps here in Western Pennsylvania. We wanted to lean hard into our […] The post PINJ News Closing, Thank you Pittsburgh first appeared on Pittsburgh Institute for Nonprofit Journalism.| Pittsburgh Institute for Nonprofit Journalism
Jody DiPerna When Raymond Thompson, Jr. started looking through the archives of the Hawks Nest tunnel, he was struck by how absent the five thousand plus men who worked the dig were. It was, rather, a celebration of the engineering feat and the important men involved. Thompson’s new book, “Appalachian Ghost: A Photographic Reimagining of […] The post Raymond Thompson’s “Appalachian Ghost” Is a Photographic Excavation of America’s Deadliest Industrial Disaster first appeared on...| Pittsburgh Institute for Nonprofit Journalism
Bill Lofquist and Jody DiPerna In the fall of 1923, a young woman from Pittsburgh’s East End was murdered. The police built a case against Lorenzo Savage, a young Black man, that closely followed a common, racist criminal justice script of the era. He was portrayed by the police and the media as a brute […] The post One hundred years ago today, a Pittsburgh man was executed. He was likely innocent. first appeared on Pittsburgh Institute for Nonprofit Journalism.| Pittsburgh Institute for Nonprofit Journalism
James Paul Amachi combats the symptoms of parental incarceration with a volunteer mentor program. Mentors and mentees say the relationships formed often last for years. MarQuice Scott-Ford grew up in Larimer on Pittsburgh’s east side, where criminal activity offers fast money and mentorship to kids who lack both. Only 24 years old, Scott-Ford said he […] The post ‘Born into that lifestyle:’ Amachi Pittsburgh tackles intergenerational incarceration through mentoring first appeared on P...| Pittsburgh Institute for Nonprofit Journalism
Michael Bennett and Denzel Glover Editor’s Note: This is part of our series exploring the juvenile justice landscape in Pittsburgh with a focus on education and mental health. These stories were funded by Staunton Farm Foundation and The Grable Foundation. You can read other essays from inside of the juvenile justice system here and here. […] The post Letters Home: A teacher and former student connect from prison, Part 3 first appeared on Pittsburgh Institute for Nonprofit Journalism.| Pittsburgh Institute for Nonprofit Journalism
Michael Bennett and Denzel Glover Editor’s Note: This is part of our series exploring the juvenile justice landscape in Pittsburgh with a focus on education and mental health. These stories were funded by Staunton Farm Foundation and The Grable Foundation. You can read other essays from inside of the juvenile justice system here and here. […] The post Letters Home: A teacher and former student connect from prison, Part 2 first appeared on Pittsburgh Institute for Nonprofit Journalism.| Pittsburgh Institute for Nonprofit Journalism
by Michael Bennett and Denzel Glover Editor’s Note: This is part of our series exploring the juvenile justice landscape in Pittsburgh with a focus on education and mental health. These stories were funded by Staunton Farm Foundation and The Grable Foundation. You can read other essays from inside of the juvenile justice system here and […] The post Letters Home: A teacher and former student connect from prison, Part 1 first appeared on Pittsburgh Institute for Nonprofit Journalism.| Pittsburgh Institute for Nonprofit Journalism
Jody DiPerna I don’t remember who called to tell me, in February of 2002, that Jamie Stickle was dead, that she had been killed, but I do remember that the ground underfoot felt off-kilter. Much of the LGBTQ community couldn’t get our balance without her, and the death of this huge presence in gay Pittsburgh […] The post New Podcast Investigates Cold Case That Rocked Pittsburgh’s LGBTQ Community first appeared on Pittsburgh Institute for Nonprofit Journalism.| Pittsburgh Institute for Nonprofit Journalism
Maria Guido is a licensed clinical social worker at Wellness Warrior Group, an outpatient therapy practice specializing in the treatment of trauma. She writes that the juvenile criminal justice system and the child welfare system do not account for trauma and its impact on child development, behavior and rehabilitation. Editor’s Note: This essay is part […] The post Breaking the cycle: Addressing trauma and building resilience in court-involved youth first appeared on Pittsburgh Institute...| Pittsburgh Institute for Nonprofit Journalism
Rachel Rinehart The film remains a work in progress, but the archival documentary stands as a testament to the filmmaker’s friend, Carla Beck. (spoilers ahead for the film) At the beginning of Mara Rago’s film, “Carla,” a message in bold, slabbed text reads, “all efforts have been made to restore the footage to its best […] The post Photographer and filmmaker Mara Rago talks about her first film, “Carla” first appeared on Pittsburgh Institute for Nonprofit Journalism.| Pittsburgh Institute for Nonprofit Journalism
Sean Johnson Editors Note: Sean Johnson was of the last cohort to be housed at the now shuttered Shuman Juvenile Detention Center in 2021. He writes that the education programming in the facility and a diverse library are the two most essential needs for child rehabilitation and learning. This is the first essay in a| Pittsburgh Institute for Nonprofit Journalism -
Shuman Juvenile Detention Center has been discussed and debated for over a year. What should we do moving forward? Jay Moser is an educator and the former principal for the now closed Shuman Juvenile Detention Center. He writes about his experience as an educator and proposes that the facility should remain county-run in the future.| Pittsburgh Institute for Nonprofit Journalism -
The number of kids at the Allegheny County Jail went up — nearly two years after a federal act aimed at removing kids from adult lockup went into effect. Allegheny County held 249 hearings to decide if kids should be transferred out of the jail; they only removed one as a result. James Paul Nicole| Pittsburgh Institute for Nonprofit Journalism -
Tanisha Long Editor's Note: This essay is part of our series exploring the juvenile justice landscape in Pittsburgh with a focus on education and mental health. These stories were funded by Staunton Farm Foundation and The Grable Foundation. You can read other essays from inside of the juvenile justice system here and here. Over 20| Pittsburgh Institute for Nonprofit Journalism -
Brittany Hailer and Joshua Vaughn Editor’s Note: This investigation was supported by a grant from the Pulitzer Center. Jeff Lagrotteria and Tina Talotta waited 30 minutes before doctors would allow them to enter the hospital room where their cousin Anthony Talotta was barely alive, breathing on a ventilator. “Because they had to prepare him for us to| Pittsburgh Institute for Nonprofit Journalism -
by Michael Bennett and Denzel Glover Editor’s Note: This is part of our series exploring the juvenile justice landscape in Pittsburgh with a focus on education and mental health. These stories were funded by Staunton Farm Foundation and The Grable Foundation. You can read other essays from inside of the juvenile justice system here and| Pittsburgh Institute for Nonprofit Journalism -
