Study links newspaper closures to distorted crime reporting

Local newspapers serve as a vital check on public institutions, including law enforcement, according to new research from the University at Buffalo School of Management. Published in the American Journal of Criminal Justice, the study examines the societal cost of the ongoing decline in local journalism, including its impact on the accountability of local police agencies to the public and the integrity of data reported by law enforcement and related officials, such as medical examiners and coroners.