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Conference Session: Session VIII—The Role of the Media in Opening Up a Closed World

Speaker(s): Ted Gest, President, Criminal Justice Journalists (Moderator)

Paul von Zielbauer, Investigative Reporter, New York Times

Mike Ward, Investigative Reporter, Austin American-Statesman

Dora Schriro, Director, Arizona Department of Corrections

Bill DiMascio, Executive Director, Pennsylvania Prison Society

Date:

Length: 58 minutes

Description: This roundtable discussion addresses the role that the media plays in helping to keep prisons and jails transparent and accountable. Among the questions that the panelists debate are how much access the press should have to correctional institutions and to prisoners, and what should “count” as media. Investigative reporters for the New York Times (Paul von Zielbauer) and the Austin American-Statesman (Mike Ward) describe experiences they have had while covering prisons, and they urge corrections officials to be more proactive in working with the media. Dora Schriro, the head of the Arizona prison system, relates some of the insights she gained by working with the media during a hostage crisis. Bill DiMascio, the head of the advocacy group the Pennsylvania Prison Society and a former journalist, calls for more day-to-day coverage of the prison system in order to better educate the public and legislators about the reality of prison. A robust audience discussion period follows the roundtable.

The statements made here represent the speakers' own thoughts. Neither the LBJ School of Public Affairs, The University of Texas at Austin, nor any organization providing support for this effort necessarily endorses the views and statements included here.