Profile: Witness LA

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What Is Your Justice Report?

We are always looking for people that want to cover social justice topics in Los Angeles. This is a rich and vibrant city. Do you want to cover social justice issues. If so - apply below and we will contact you.

Once approved to join the reporting team, you will have access to our group blog where we will report on social justice issues here in the LA area.

Follow the Gang Money: How is LA Using Our $25 Million?

For our first LA JUSTICE REPORT project, we'll be turning a spotlight on LA's gang prevention and intervention programs.

In this season of budget meltdown and city layoffs, the City of Los Angeles has more than $25 million allocated for gang violence prevention and intervention---all of which comes directly out of the city’s general fund. But how exactly are those multi-millions being spent? 

LA is the gang capital of the world---AND our city is in a state of fiscal crisis.  We believe it is time that we found out exactly what we are getting for that $25 million.

Are the various gang prevention and intervention programs that are receiving up to $1.5 million each effective or not?  What kind of real life results have those funds produced?

LA has had a past of giving big bucks to pet gang programs, many of which proved spectacularly ineffective.  Thus when all of the city’s gang $$ were consolidated under the banner of the mayor’s office, Mayor Villaraigosa promised transparency and accountability about money spent in relation to on-the-ground outcomes. But two years later, we know almost nothing about who decided how those dollars were doled out, or what practical difference our tax dollars have made in the communities most affected by gang violence. 

The FOLLOW THE GANG MONEY series will rigorously investigate the use of LA’s gang money---the good, the bad, and the hidden issues---and bring back a comprehensive report.

MATTHEW FLEISCHER, who will be the lead writer and reporter on the Follow the Gang Money series, is a member the LA JUSTICE PROJECT reporting team.

Matt is also a veteran LA-based journalist and editor who has been a staff writer with the LA Weekly and senior editor of the LA City Beat. He is currently a contributing editor to the Los Angeles Times Magazine, editor for Fishbowl LA, and he writes for several other outlets both print and online. Matt has been honored by the Association for Alternative Newsweeklies and by the Investigative Reporters and Editors (IRE) for his story “Navahoax.” His story “Children of the Revolutionary” was honored by the The LA Press Club and First Amendment Funding Inc.  Matt is a recipient of a Village Voice Media Fellowship.

When Matt is not writing he wanders, usually by foot.

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