{
  "id": "1998-december-bits-bytes-and-barks",
  "slug": "1998-december-bits-bytes-and-barks",
  "url": "https://dwillis.github.io/uplink/article/1998-december-bits-bytes-and-barks.html",
  "year": 1998,
  "month": "December",
  "monthNum": 12,
  "headline": "Bits, Bytes and Barks",
  "kicker": "",
  "author_name": "Sarah Cohen",
  "author_title": "training director",
  "affiliation": "IRE and NICAR",
  "summary": "IRE and NICAR are launching initiatives to improve crime reporting through data-driven journalism and partnerships with public health experts, while also announcing upcoming national conferences in Boston and Kansas City.",
  "keywords": [
    "crime",
    "reporting",
    "training"
  ],
  "topics": [
    "Investigative Methods",
    "Crime & Justice",
    "Journalism & Newsroom"
  ],
  "technologies": [
    "SAS",
    "Perl",
    "FoxPro",
    "World Wide Web"
  ],
  "full_text": "Bits, Bytes and Barks\n\nIRE and NICAR on the crime beat\n\nAs you can see from this issue, reporting on crime in the United States is becoming more sophisticated each year as reporters try to give it context and depth. IRE and NICAR are working with several groups to improve reporting on crime.\n\nOne project involves the Berkeley Media Studies Group and the Missouri School of Journalism The project is trying to show journalists how to strengthen daily reporting on crime and violence by making use of datasets and historical information. It also tries to link the reporters to public health experts who study the topic intensely.\n\nLori Dorfman from Berkeley and veteran reporter Jane Stevens are leading the effort. Both have some radical ideas about daily reporting on crime and violence and are taking their message into newsrooms.\n\nThe role of IRE and NICAR is to help provide meaningful hands-on training and examples of stories that use combinations of datasets and shoe-leather reporting. IRE and NICAR also hope to work with a newly created association on crime reporting to provide manuals, tipsheets and booklets about covering different aspects of the beat: the cop shop, the court, the prison.\n\nIf you have ideas or want to help on either of these projects, please contact Brant Houston by e-mail at brant@ire.org\n\nConferences abound\n\nInformation on upcoming IRE and NICAR national and regional conferences is now available on the IRE Web site. Visit the IRE Web site at www.ire.org/reourred.comferences/\n\nThe National Computer-Assisted Reporting Conference, presented by IRE and NICAR along with The Boston Globe, will be held March 11-14, 1999 in Boston You may register online or download an early registration form at www.ire.org/resources/conferences/boston\n\nThe schedule for the conference is being finalized. We hope to offer new classes in SAS basics and data management and PERL scripting. We plan to reinstate basic Fox training using Visual Fox and continue popular basic classes, a special session for broadcasters, and Intranet training.\n\nContact Sarah Cohen, IRE and NICAR training director, with suggestions for panel topics and hands-on classes, plus ideas for who might speak or teach. Cohen can be reached by e-mail at sarah@nicar.org\n\nThe Investigative Reporters and Editors National Conference, co-sponsored by The Kansas City Star and KCTV, will be held June 3-6, 1999 in Kansas City. You may also register online or download an early registration form at www.ire.org/resources/conferences/kansascity",
  "provenance": {
    "extracted_by": "anthropic/claude-sonnet-4-6",
    "extracted_at": "2026-07-05",
    "verified": true
  },
  "similar": [
    {
      "slug": "1998-august-conferences-the-next-wave",
      "score": 0.34
    },
    {
      "slug": "1997-november-bits-bytes-and-barks",
      "score": 0.248
    },
    {
      "slug": "2000-june-bits-bytes-and-barks",
      "score": 0.245
    },
    {
      "slug": "2002-november-december-data-boosts-crime-stories",
      "score": 0.243
    },
    {
      "slug": "2000-november-bits-bytes-and-barks",
      "score": 0.241
    }
  ],
  "html_url": "https://dwillis.github.io/uplink/article/1998-december-bits-bytes-and-barks.html",
  "json_url": "https://dwillis.github.io/uplink/article/1998-december-bits-bytes-and-barks.json"
}