Data Journalism and Criminal Justice Reporting with Python

Explore how Python transforms investigative journalism in this 43-minute keynote presentation featuring data reporters from The Marshall Project, a nonprofit newsroom covering the U.S. criminal justice system. Learn from Geoff Hing, who has leveraged data analysis across multiple newsrooms including The Arizona Republic, APM Reports, and The Chicago Tribune to investigate demographic changes, water usage, prison labor, voting rights, police use-of-force patterns, and Taser efficacy. Discover how Tom Meagher, senior editor at The Marshall Project, has utilized Python, Django, pandas, and other libraries for over a decade to produce impactful investigative stories on execution delays and prison officer accountability. Gain insights into the practical applications of Python in journalism, from analyzing police accountability data to visualizing complex datasets that expose systemic issues in the criminal justice system. Understand how data-driven reporting techniques can uncover stories that hold institutions accountable and inform public discourse on critical social issues. The session is moderated by Jackie Kazil, PhD, providing expert guidance through this exploration of Python's role in modern investigative journalism.