Assignment for Feb. 11

Continue to review the contents of the AP Stylebook.

Read Chapter 20 in the text.

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The newsroom ethics policy of the Statesman Journal in Salem, Ore., includes:

Because of our community's concern about youth crime, we will name juveniles age 15 or older charged with a violent crime. We will consider naming juveniles younger than 15 or those of any age charged with non-violent crimes in certain newsworthy circumstances.

Before identifying the victim of a crime without their consent, consider any further harm that the naming of a victim might do. In routine, minor crime stories, we will typically not name victims. In higher profile stories, we typically will. In the case of sex crimes and those involving juvenile victims, we will not identify the victim without consent. We will withhold exact addresses of residences, unless there is a compelling reason to print them.

In light of that, click on these links and also read:

• Taking Back a Fact
• Identifying Juveniles
• Doing Ethics: Ask Good Questions to Make Good Ethical Decisions
• Should the news media reveal the name of a juvenile murder suspect before the police have charged him?
• Society of Professional Journalists Code of Ethics
• Juvenile Justice

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