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Create A New Collection

Collections are versatile, powerful and simple to create. From a customized course reader to an action-guide for an upcoming service-learning trip, collections illuminate themes, guide inquiry, and provide context for how people around the worls are responding to social challenges.

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Solutions Story Tracker®

Welcome to a curated database of rigorous reporting on responses to social problems.

15,700 stories produced by 8,900 journalists and 2,000 news outlets from 89 countries. The stories cover responses in 192 countries, in 17 languages. This resource is made possible because of a growing movement of journalists who use solutions journalism to illuminate both problems and evidence-based responses to them.

Learn more about the Solutions Story Tracker.


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  • Can Screen Time Reduce Prison Time?

    Doug Bierend
    2017-11-24 21:25:11 UTC
    2

    October 31, 2017 |

    Bright Magazine |

    Text |

    1500-3000 Words

    Response Location: United States, California

    In Madera Juvenile Detention Facility, teens have access 6 hours a day to tablets loaded with learning and entertainment materials. The program aims to help teens productively use their time in prison and advance their education. Even though there are some positive outcomes, many critics argue that the program only treats a symptom and not the overarching problem of the juvenile prison system that needs reform.

    Read More

    • 2981

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  • A prosecutor meets the juvenile lifer he locked up for 40 years - and apologizes

    Samantha Melamed
    2018-05-04 20:47:16 UTC
    0

    October 26, 2017 |

    The Philadelphia Inquirer (Philadelphia Media Network) |

    Text |

    Under 800 Words

    Response Location: United States, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

    A Philadelphia man imprisoned for 40 years for a crime he did not commit was finally freed when the prosecutor who helped put him behind bars realized he made a mistake and worked to get him out. The U.S. Supreme Court found automatic life sentences for juveniles unconstitutional, but despite that and the previous prosecutor's change of heart, Ronald Brinkley has not been exonerated and the current district attorney stands by the case. However, the former prosecutor has offered to help Brinkley as he transitions back to the outside world.

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    • 3916

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  • When he was 13, he shot her in the face. 20 years later, she helped get him his freedom.

    Ally Hirschlag
    2018-09-01 17:53:26 UTC
    0

    October 26, 2017 |

    Upworthy |

    Multi-Media |

    Under 800 Words

    Response Location: United States, Tampa, Florida

    A man convicted to a life sentence for a shooting he took part in at age 13 reached out to the woman he injured from prison and over the years they built a friendship based on forgiveness and trust. She helped him win an appeal for release after 26 years and has been part of his support network as he learns to navigate the world as an adult. Their story offers a great example of the power of forgiveness and building personal connections.

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    • 4982

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  • ‘We can't just keep doing what we've been doing': King County tries risky alternative to youth jail

    Claudia Rowe
    2018-04-07 11:36:50 UTC
    0

    October 23, 2017 |

    The Seattle Times |

    Text |

    800-1500 Words

    Response Location: United States, Seattle, Washington

    As Seattle’s Central District continues plans to expand their juvenile detention center, one prosecutor is looking for ways to keep kids out of it. "Our system has proven woefully inadequate, so we can’t just keep doing what we’ve been doing," explains Jimmy Hung, the prosecutor behind this hope. Hung, in partnership with the chief deputy prosecutor, faith workers, police officers and the director of King County’s juvenile detention center are now piloting peace circles with incoming detained juveniles with a goal of seeing a behavior and lifestyle switch.

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    • 3706

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  • In Philly courts, whether they'll die in prison comes down to their birthday

    Samantha Melamed
    2018-05-02 23:13:14 UTC
    0

    July 06, 2017 |

    The Philadelphia Inquirer (Philadelphia Media Network) |

    Text |

    800-1500 Words

    Response Location: United States, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

    A 2016 U.S. Supreme Court decision allows those sentenced to life for crimes committed as juveniles to seek parole. These people make up more than half of lifers in Pennsylvania, which is considering numerous appeals, but now those sentenced when they were slightly older are arguing the impulsivity and immaturity that makes juveniles less culpable are also present in the brains of those in their 20s. They are seeking to ensure the same legal rulings also apply to them and the legal system is trying to reconcile legal definitions of adulthood with evolving brain science.

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    • 3899

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  • Nueces County ditches juvenile boot camp for new approach

    Krista M. Torralva
    2017-08-14 02:16:41 UTC
    2

    June 23, 2017 |

    Corpus Christi Caller Times |

    Text |

    1500-3000 Words

    Response Location: United States, Nueces County, Texas

    In Nueces County, Texas, military-style boot camp was the norm for troubled juveniles, who were forced to complete drills that simulate ROTC with instructors. The newly named Robert N. Barnes Region Juvenile Facility began replacing this antiquated method with therapeutic support and yoga relaxation techniques focus on the psycho-social health of troubled juveniles. The facility serves as a model of what boot camps could become.

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    • 2680

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  • This former Philadelphia cop had an incredibly simple plan to keep kids out of prison: Don't arrest them.

    Molly McCluskey
    2017-11-29 16:55:20 UTC
    0

    March 30, 2017 |

    The Washington Post |

    Text |

    800-1500 Words

    Response Location: United States, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

    The zero-tolerance of Philadelphia's school system towards even minor infractions from students was creating a detrimental school-to-prison pipeline that was doing more long term harm to youth than good. But one former officer took the initiative to break the cycle, founding the Police School Diversion Program to drastically reduce arrests and offer students supportive services such as counseling instead, helping create a more constructive environment for children, educators, and officers alike.

    Read More

    • 3024

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  • Could this one simple idea stop the revolving door to prison?

    Samantha Melamed
    2018-04-16 19:46:08 UTC
    0

    February 14, 2017 |

    The Philadelphia Inquirer (Philadelphia Media Network) |

    Multi-Media |

    1500-3000 Words

    Response Location: United States, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

    In Pennsylvania, “500 men and about 10 women juvenile lifers who have been locked away for decades” will be released due to a recent Supreme Court decision that said it was unconstitutional for judges to strike automatic life-without-parole sentence for juveniles. Unfortunately, recidivism rates show that “ 60 percent of people are locked up again within three years of being released.” However, pairing a former prisoner with a mentor is an old school solution that has been proven to be successful. Studies show “participants who had mentors were twice as likely to find jobs and 39 percent less likely to reci

    Read More

    • 3777

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  • New court aims to redefine young adult justice in Chicago

    Nissa Rhee
    2017-04-26 21:36:29 UTC
    0

    December 24, 2016 |

    The Christian Science Monitor |

    Text |

    800-1500 Words

    Response Location: United States, Chicago, Illinois

    Chicago plans to open a community court for young adult offenders that focuses on rehabilitative services and community support, giving them a chance to make reparations to victims and avoid a criminal record that can jeopardize opportunities for the rest of their lives. Part 3 of 3.

    Read More

    • 2289

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  • ‘Not a Dungeon': The Evolving Approach to Juvenile Detention

    Sierra Mannie, Arielle Dreher
    2017-03-31 15:38:53 UTC
    0

    December 14, 2016 |

    Jackson Free Press |

    Text |

    Over 3000 Words

    Response Location: United States, Jackson, Mississippi

    The approach of some state detention directors to juvenile justice has evolved at Henley-Young Juvenile Justice Center. Research shows that traditional detention is simply not working as a deterrent to youth crime—and can actually increase it. Administrators, county and special-interest groups have chipped away at antiquated practices to make room for rehabilitation and therapy. These efforts attempt to address the core issues that culminate in youth crime, delinquency and recidivism.

    Read More

    • 2197

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Filter your search by the language of the story. As the Solutions Story Tracker grows, we are working to include more stories in more languages. Your story submissions can help! Submit stories here.
These factors identify the ways communities overcome the big challenges and help you see the insights. Learn more about the Success Factors here.

Solutions Journalism Around the World

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Solutions In Focus

Discover curated content about themes that matter to you, exclusively from the Solutions Story Tracker. Explore collections, resources and more.

  • Climate Solutions

  • Advancing Democracy

  • Youth Mental Health


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    Video Tutorials

    Learn how to find what you need in the Solutions Story Tracker in español and in français.

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    Submission Guidelines

    This database is powered by user submissions. Submit a story.

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    Get notified when new stories match your interests by setting up custom story alerts in My Profile.

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Solutions Story Tracker® FAQ

  • Solutions journalism…
    • Describes a response to a problem and how it works.
    • Seeks to draw out insights that explain success or failure.
    • Presents the available evidence about the effectiveness of a response.
    • Explains the shortcomings or limitations of the response.
    Learn more.
  • The Solutions Story Tracker® is a curated, searchable database of solutions journalism stories — rigorous reporting about responses to social problems. We vet and tag every story in the Story Tracker, which offers an inspiring and useful collection of the thousands of ways people are working to solve problems around the world.

  • You can learn more about how we source, vet, and tag stories here, as well as how we share them. We also have video tutorials in Spanish and French that show how to use the Solutions Story Tracker to find what you need.

  • Story collections are curated by our staff or other partners to explore a theme, pattern, or trend via selected solutions stories and external resources. Some story collections focus on an in-depth exploration of a topic with solutions journalism; others highlight journalists and how they report on topics. Certain story collections include discussion questions and notes, so that educators and community discussion leaders can lead learners to fully engage with the stories.

  • The Solutions Story Tracker® is powered by user submissions. We encourage submissions from journalists, as well as from anyone who has an eye for solutions journalism. Click here to submit. (Why submit? So many reasons!)

  • You can submit a story directly on the Solutions Story Tracker®. You will be prompted to register or log into the Solutions Journalism Network website, if you are already logged in. (It is free to register!) Logging in allows you to track the status of your submissions under My Profile, as well as save your favorite stories, create story collections and story alerts, and access other helpful features of our website.

  • After you submit a story to us and assign it a topic, it is sent to one of our Solutions Story Tracker team members. Our team member evaluates the story for the four qualities of solutions journalism, and on the basics: The story must come from a news outlet and have a date and a byline. If the story meets our criteria, our team tags it accordingly and adds it to the database. If the story falls short of the mark, our team will include the reason why. We include stories in the Story Tracker that meet our standards of solutions journalism. Inclusion does not mean we support the initiatives, policies, organizations or approaches featured in those stories.

    Discover common reasons why a story may miss the mark for inclusion in the Solutions Story Tracker®.

    Learn more about the history of the database.

  • Solutions Journalism Network features these stories in the searchable database making them publicly accessible to anyone who wants to search for rigorous reporting on solutions to social problems. Any story that is added has the potential to make more impact than its original purpose. Added stories are used in journalism trainings, school curricula, research projects, and independent analysis on issue area trends. This now includes artificial intelligence tools, which are applied for educational value to find stories and support story vetting, as well as to extract insights from the stories. SJN has digital products and newsletters that give new life and exposure to the stories meeting people where they are at. Story data also is used to develop innovative tools to reach the general public with solutions journalism as well as some specific research projects requested by researchers. If you have any questions or concerns about our use of story data or added stories, please contact Lita Tirak.

  • News outlets determine whether all users can access their stories — and some limit the number of stories that anyone can view, or require a subscription. The majority of stories in the database can be accessed for free.

  • We work with journalists, academic researchers and others who feel that our database will support their research. We are especially interested in research that seeks to develop new insights about solutions journalism and its spread and its impact on social problems. Please complete all sections of the Data Request Form, and we will contact you to discuss your request in greater detail.

  • We do not fact-check the stories in the Solutions Story Tracker®. We do ensure that each story comes from a credible news source that has its own editorial infrastructure.

  • We worked with Tara Pixley and Jovelle Tamayo of the Authority Collective, who developed a guide for using equitable visuals. We follow this guide when choosing images for our website.

  • We welcome your feedback and additional questions. Please use this form to get in touch.

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