In my column last week I previewed our series, "Losing Track: North Carolina's Crippled Probation System." I also said that despite financial problems, we would continue to do this type of investigative reporting. The column was titled, "We'll keep digging deep."
Readers were supportive. "Keep up the very good work and keep shining the light," said one. Another made a reference to our previous series on problems with the sate's mental health system. "I can't tell you how grateful we are to you, to Michael Biesecker, Pat Stith and Lynn Bonner," she said referring to the reporters on that series. "All the citizens of this state should be grateful for The N&O and how they've investigated the mental health debacle. I'm sure you are going to get to the bottom of this new project." I want to point out that both projects were edited by Steve Riley, our senior editor for investigations.
Another reader, who identified himself in a phone message as a Wake schools teacher, said we did a lot of good work but that I should stop talking about it. "Isn't this you guys' jobs?" he said. "What do you want -- the Big Cookie Award? Times are tough for everybody. That's like me telling my students and their parents: 'I don't get paid much but I'm going to continue to keep doing it.' I appreciate what you do but just keep doing it. No need to blow your own trumpet."
I had never heard of the Big Cookie Award. But I want it.
As for blowing my own trumpet: Fair enough. In tomorrow's column, I blow the trumpet for open government. We know that since 2000, 580 probationers have been convicted of killing in North Carolina. But we don't know how well they were supervised by the state. That's because the state won't give us reports that would tell us how well those probationers were supervised. Theodis Beck, state correction secretary, should release those reports. Read more Saturday.
