Merrill College Launches Crime Reporting Resource Funded by $150,000 Donation
The new website offers field guides and data analysis tools for journalists covering courts and criminal justice, developed by University of Maryland staff and students.
By Hugo Khalil ·
The Philip Merrill College of Journalism at the University of Maryland has launched a new online resource for reporters covering crime and courts.
The site, titled Covering Crime & Justice, went live on October 30, 2026. It provides best practices, field guides, and data sources for journalists and researchers.
Ted Gest, founder and president of the nonprofit Criminal Justice Journalists, provided a $150,000 donation to fund the project. The organization has been under Gest’s leadership for more than 20 years and publishes a daily newsletter called Crime and Justice News.
Adam Marton, a data journalist and full professor at Merrill College, serves as the editor for the new website. The project was created in collaboration with the college’s Capital News Service. Students, faculty, and staff produced the content with contributions from Clarence Williams, a senior reporter for The Washington Post and adjunct professor at the university.
Deacon Rafael Lorente stated that the college thanks Gest for trusting the project to Merrill College. He noted that crime coverage often presents an inaccurate image of communities. The faculty and students aim to change this through research and the sharing of best practices.
The resource is designed to help journalists use data effectively while understanding the limitations of available datasets. It also serves nonprofit groups, activists, and researchers who need to collect and analyze crime data. The site launched a LinkedIn group to connect criminal justice reporters. Stacey Decker, a Merrill College professor and CNS audience engagement director, will oversee these efforts and a semesterly newsletter.
Marton said crime reporting influences how people view their neighbors and cities. He argued that the police report often becomes the whole story, leaving residents in the background. The site offers practical help with language, data sources, and decision-making under pressure.
A 10-member advisory board will guide the program. The board is chaired by Gest and includes Jonah Bromwich and Hurubie Meko from The New York Times, Sadie Gurman from The Wall Street Journal, Jon Schuppe from NBC News, Mark Fazlollah, Sarah Ganim, Marisa Lagos, Julie Small, Gregg Leslie, and Kevin Vaughan.
Source: Latin Opinion
