The Pulitzer Prize for Investigative Reporting has been awarded since 1953, under one name or another, for a distinguished example of investigative reporting by an individual or team, presented as a single article or series in print journalism. It is administered by the school of journalism at Columbia University in New York City.
From 1953 through 1963, the category was known as The Pulitzer Prize for Local Reporting, No Edition Time.
From 1964 through 1984, the category was known as The Pulitzer Prize for Local Investigative Specialized Reporting.
The Pulitzer Committee issues an official citation explaining the reasons for the award.
1955:Roland Kenneth Towery, Cuero Record (Texas), "for his series of articles exclusively exposing a scandal in the administration of the Veterans' Land Program in Texas. This 32-year-old World War II veteran, a former prisoner of the Japanese, made these irregularities a state-wide and subsequently a national issue, and stimulated state action to rectify conditions in the land program."
1956:Arthur Daley, The New York Times, "for his outstanding coverage and commentary on the world of sports in his daily column, Sports of the Times."
1957:Wallace Turner and William Lambert, Portland Oregonian, "for their expose of vice and corruption in Portland involving some municipal officials and officers of the International Brotherhood of Teamsters, Chauffeurs, Warehousemen and Helpers of America, Western Conference. They fulfilled their assignments despite great handicaps and the risk of reprisal from lawless elements."
1958:George Beveridge, Evening Star (Washington, D.C.), "for his excellent and thought-provoking series, "Metro, City of Tomorrow," describing in depth the urban problems of Washington, D.C., which stimulated widespread public consideration of these problems and encouraged further studies by both public and private agencies."
1959:John Harold Brislin, Scranton Tribune and Scrantonian, "for displaying courage, initiative and resourcefulness in his effective four-year campaign to halt labor violence in his home city, as a result of which ten corrupt union officials were sent to jail and a local union was embolden to clean out racketeering elements."
1960:Miriam Ottenberg, Evening Star (Washington, D.C.), "for a series of seven articles exposing a used-car racket in Washington, D.C., that victimized many unwary buyers. The series led to new regulations to protect the public and served to alert other communities to such sharp practices."
1961:Edgar May, Buffalo Evening News, "for his series of articles on New York State's public welfare services entitled, Our Costly Dilemma, based in part on his three-month employment as a state case worker. The series brought about reforms that attracted nation-wide attention."
1962:George Bliss, Chicago Tribune, "for his initiative in uncovering scandals in the Metropolitan Sanitary District of Greater Chicago, with resultant remedial action."
1963:Oscar Griffin, Jr., Pecos Independent and Enterprise, "who as editor initiated the exposure of the Billie Sol Estes scandal and thereby brought a major fraud on the United States government to national attention with resultant investigation, prosecution and conviction of Estes."
Pulitzer Prize for Local Investigative Specialized Reporting
1971:William Jones, Chicago Tribune, "for exposing collusion between police and some of Chicago's largest private ambulance companies to restrict service in low income areas, leading to major reforms."
1973:The Sun Newspapers Of Omaha, "for uncovering the large financial resources of Boys Town, Nebraska, leading to reforms in this charitable organization's solicitation and use of funds contributed by the public."
1975:Indianapolis Star, "for its disclosures of local police corruption and dilatory law enforcement, resulting in a cleanup of both the Police Department and the office of the County Prosecutor."
1976: Staff of Chicago Tribune, "for uncovering widespread abuses in Federal housing programs in Chicago and exposing shocking conditions at two private Chicago hospitals."
1983:Loretta Tofani, The Washington Post, "for her investigation of rape and sexual assault in the Prince George's County, Maryland, Detention Center."
1985:Lucy Morgan and Jack Reed, St. Petersburg Times (Florida), "for their thorough reporting on Pasco County Sheriff John Short, which revealed his department's corruption and led to his removal from office by voters."
1985:William K. Marimow, The Philadelphia Inquirer, "for his revelation that city police dogs had attacked more than 350 people - an exposure that led to investigations of the K-9 unit and the removal of a dozen officers from it."
1986:Jeffrey A. Marx and Michael M. York, Lexington Herald-Leader (Kentucky), "for their series 'Playing Above the Rules,' which exposed cash payoffs to University of Kentucky basketball players in violation of NCAA regulations. However, the UK basketball program did little to reform itself in the wake of the articles; true reform would not come until the program was involved in another cash-for-recruits scandal three years later."
1989:Bill Dedman, Atlanta Journal and Constitution, "for his investigation of the racial discrimination practiced by lending institutions in Atlanta, reporting which led to significant reforms in those policies."
1990:Lou Kilzer and Chris Ison, Minneapolis-St. Paul Star Tribune, "for reporting that exposed a network of local citizens who had links to members of the St. Paul fire department and who profited from fires, including some described by the fire department itself as being of suspicious origin."
1993:Jeff Brazil and Steve Berry, Orlando Sentinel (Florida), "for exposing the unjust seizure of millions of dollars from motorists - most of them minorities - by a sheriff's drug squad."
1994:Providence Journal-Bulletin (Rhode Island) staff, "for thorough reporting that disclosed pervasive corruption within the Rhode Island court system."
1996:The Orange County Register staff, "for reporting that uncovered fraudulent and unethical fertility practices at a leading research university hospital and prompted key regulatory reforms."
1997:Eric Nalder, Deborah Nelson, and Alex Tizon, The Seattle Times, for their investigation of widespread corruption and inequities in the federally-sponsored housing program for Native Americans, which inspired much-needed reforms.
1998:Gary Cohn and Will Englund, The Baltimore Sun, "for their compelling series on the international shipbreaking industry that revealed the dangers posed to workers and the environment when discarded ships are dismantled."
1999: The Miami Herald staff, "for its detailed reporting that revealed pervasive voter fraud in a city mayoral election that was subsequently overturned."
2001:David Willman, Los Angeles Times, "for his pioneering exposé of seven unsafe prescription drugs that had been approved by the Food and Drug Administration, and an analysis of the policy reforms that had reduced the agency's effectiveness."
2002:Sari Horwitz, Scott Higham, and Sarah Cohen, The Washington Post, "for a series that exposed the District of Columbia's role in the neglect and death of 229 children placed in protective care between 1993 and 2000, which prompted an overhaul of the city's child welfare system."
2003:Clifford J. Levy, The New York Times, "for his vivid, brilliantly written series 'Broken Homes' that exposed the abuse of mentally ill adults in state-regulated homes."
2007:Brett Blackledge of The Birmingham News, "for his exposure of cronyism and corruption in the state's two-year college system, resulting in the dismissal of the chancellor and other corrective action."
2008: (Two winning newspapers) Walt Bogdanich and Jake Hooker of The New York Times, "for their stories on toxic ingredients in medicine and other everyday products imported from China, leading to crackdowns by American and Chinese officials." Staff of The Chicago Tribune, "for its exposure of faulty governmental regulation of toys, car seats and cribs, resulting in the extensive recall of hazardous products and congressional action to tighten supervision."
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