The Wisconsin State Journal has won four awards in the Inland Press Association's 2008 national newspaper competition.
State Journal reporter Dean Mosiman won Inland's community leadership award for the seven-day series "Elder Abuse: A Silent Shame" which detailed the failure of the state's institutions to ensure the well-being of older citizens. Assistant city editor Steve Verburg edited the series, which also showcased the work of multimedia and graphics editor Laura Sparks, news artists Jason Klein and Brent Bollenbach, and photographers Joseph W. Jackson III and John Maniaci.
The awards will be presented on Oct. 27 in Chicago at the association's annual meeting.
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State Journal takes four Inland Press awards
Perpetrator Kathleen Simane and guardian abuse victim Helen Fabis are featured in the Elder Abuse: A Silent Shame series.
Kathleen Simane, a court-appointed guardian, used her position to steal more than $75,000 from her dying great-aunt, Helen Fabis of Edgerton. Simane, of St. Paul, Minn., who spent money on a car and breast augmentation, was caught and sentenced to two years in prison, extended supervision and $78,289 in restitution to the Fabis estate. Elder Abuse: A Silent Shame: Day 4: Easy targets
State Journal reporter Dean Mosiman won Inland's community leadership award for the seven-day series "Elder Abuse: A Silent Shame" which detailed the failure of the state's institutions to ensure the well-being of older citizens. Assistant city editor Steve Verburg edited the series, which also showcased the work of multimedia and graphics editor Laura Sparks, news artists Jason Klein and Brent Bollenbach, and photographers Joseph W. Jackson III and John Maniaci.
The awards will be presented on Oct. 27 in Chicago at the association's annual meeting.
Full Article and Source:
State Journal takes four Inland Press awards
Perpetrator Kathleen Simane and guardian abuse victim Helen Fabis are featured in the Elder Abuse: A Silent Shame series.
Kathleen Simane, a court-appointed guardian, used her position to steal more than $75,000 from her dying great-aunt, Helen Fabis of Edgerton. Simane, of St. Paul, Minn., who spent money on a car and breast augmentation, was caught and sentenced to two years in prison, extended supervision and $78,289 in restitution to the Fabis estate. Elder Abuse: A Silent Shame: Day 4: Easy targets
Withhout cooperative media and Internet blogging, we would never be able to bring this guardianship/conservatorship menace to an end!
ReplyDeleteCongratulations and standing ovation to: Dean Mosiman, Steve Verburg, Laura Sparks
ReplyDeleteJason Klein, Brent Bollenbach, Joseph W. Jackson III, John Maniaci and the Wisconsin State Journal.
Thank you for your commitment to your profession and your dedication to exposing the shameful and criminal activities against our most vulnerable members of our society by continuing your award winning series "Elder Abuse: A Silent Shame".
Society is grateful knowing you are there; you are the voice shouting out loud for so many who have been disregarded and silenced, for those who cannot speak for themselves.
Thank you.
Congratulations to every one associated with this informative and award winning series.
ReplyDeleteTake a bow!
The best weapon we have against elder abuse is media exposure. That this issue would be so "lucky" as to have also won an award for oustanding reporting, makes it all so sweeter.
The press and the media are the only reliable source of information that we have. I hate to even think how we would survive without them.
ReplyDeleteInvestigative reporters are like a pack of blood hounds and they don't quit or give up until they get their stories.
I think all people who are guilty of elder abuse should have their faces and home addresses on the front page of the newspapers and on TV so the whole world knows and their family friends and neighbors can see for themselves what a low life coward looks like.
And then the cowards should have to go to a special jail to get the same cruel treatment that they gave to an old person. I think this punishment would help to stop this and make others think long and hard and save a lot of old people from being hurt.
Courts need to ultimately be responsible in overseeing the welfare of vulnerable individuals; when punishment is due, courts need to mete it out. We, the members of society, have a moral responsibility to bring about exposure. Media exposure brings shame and is a powerful punishment to deter a potential violator. These efforts must continue.
ReplyDeleteExcellent point, Tal without the press and the media, we would be living in the dark.
ReplyDeleteUnlike the Wisconsin State Journal, many in the press and the media are sitting on stories and information that needs to be told; they have knowledge about many serious incidents and situations that we should know about but they will not publish what they know.
Personally, I know many situations where the story was rejected, turned down many times by the press and the media.
I cannot estimate and no one knows how many reporters worked on valid, credible stories but their bosses killed those stories or the reporter was not interested.
Why?
Thanks to the efforts of Associations such as this one, the "Elder Abuse;Silent Shame" is coming to light.The NASGA blog, This is a place were those who have been victimized CAN speak out, and hopefully make a difference.
ReplyDeleteUnfortunately,we humans, unlike animals DO NOT learn from our mistakes, and refused to LISTEN to those who have been there and are willing to be retaliated against,just to go public with their horror "stories"...unless we are willing to make a commitment to keep up with the information given,and spread the word that this type of abuse is indeed happening; millions of people will continue to fall prey to this guardianship business. And who knows; YOU may just be the next victim! Maritza Torrent-Viola. Miami, Florida.