NPR News Investigations

National

Senator Asks Red Cross To Explain Its Finances

3:38pm January 09, 2015

by Laura Sullivan

Sen. Charles Grassley, R-Iowa, wants the Red Cross to explain inaccuracies in how it has said it uses public donations, citing questions raised by an NPR and ProPublica investigation.

Antipsychotic drugs aren't necessary in the vast majority of dementia cases, gerontologists say. The pills can be stupefying and greatly raise the risk of falls — and hip fracture.

Old And Overmedicated: The Real Drug Problem In Nursing Homes

4:22pm January 04, 2015

by Ina Jaffe

Way too many residents of U.S. nursing homes are on antipsychotic drugs, critics say. It's often just for the convenience of the staff, to sedate patients agitated by dementia. That's illegal.

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Desiree Seats, 23, lost her license for two years before she even got it because of an unpaid fine. Without a license, she couldn't find the jobs she needed to start earning money.

National

Can't Pay Your Fines? Your License Could Be Taken

6:51pm December 29, 2014

by Joseph Shapiro

Drive drunk or recklessly and the state can suspend your driver's license. But a number of officials worry that many suspensions are for lesser offenses, including unpaid tickets or even truancy.

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Nursing Homes Rarely Penalized For Oversedating Patients

6:26pm December 10, 2014

by Ina Jaffe

An NPR probe finds many nursing homes are still prescribing schizophrenia drugs to calm dementia patients — despite FDA warnings — but only 2 percent of excessive-medication cases result in penalties.

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This Nursing Home Calms Troubling Behavior Without Risky Drugs

5:34pm December 10, 2014

by Ina Jaffe

The staff's goal was to reduce the prescription of antipsychotic drugs by 20 percent. In the first year, they cut use by 97 percent. How? By addressing the real reasons for agitation and aggression.

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An American Red Cross worker stands on an inundated Brooke Avenue following heavy rains and flash flooding Aug. 13, in Bay Shore, N.Y.

Red Cross Misstates How Donors' Dollars Are Spent

5:51pm December 05, 2014

by Laura Sullivan

Red Cross officials have repeatedly said 91 cents of every dollar donated to the charity goes to disaster relief services. But an investigation by NPR and ProPublica found that's just not true.

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Last 'Angola 3' Inmate's Conviction Should Be Thrown Out, Court Says

6:33pm November 21, 2014

by Laura Sullivan

Albert Woodfox has spent about 40 years in solitary for the 1972 murder of a prison guard. A federal appeals court's unanimous decision could set him free, if the state decides not to challenge it.

Delinquent Mine Fines: 'Clearly Troubling ... More Can Be Done'

10:21am November 20, 2014

by Howard Berkes

"We have tools in place to crack down on these scofflaws, but what's missing is a stronger commitment," says John Kline, a key House Republican.

Red Cross Employee Survey Finds Doubts About Leadership, Ethics

1:08pm November 13, 2014

by Laura Sullivan

The results of an internal survey of more than 14,000 employees found that 4 out of 10 employees have doubts about the charity's commitment to ethical conduct.

The injuries Jack Blankenship sustained after a 300-pound rock pinned him to the ground while working in a coal mine prevent him from sitting for long periods of time or walking far. He says he's in constant pain.

Miners At Risk Because Of Unpaid And Uncollected Fines

9:28am November 13, 2014

NPR probes the regulatory loophole that allows mine owners to ignore government regulators and operate unsafe mines. For years, the owners have failed to pay penalties even as workers are injured.

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