Senior Crime & Courts Reporter

Newsweek is the global media organization that has earned audience time and trust for more than 90 years. Newsweek reaches 100 million people each month with thought-provoking news, opinion, images, graphics, and video delivered across a dozen print and digital platforms. Headquartered in New York City, Newsweek also publishes international editions in EMEA and Asia. 

Reporting to the News Editor, the Senior Crime & Courts Reporter will have superb knowledge of US crime and the judiciary, and the intersection with politics, policy and culture. They will have several years of newsroom experience working at a reputable publication.  

They will be responsible for sourcing, pitching, researching, and developing content that contributes to the production of several original stories each day that enhances the Newsweek brand and distinguishes the publication from competitors. 

The Senior Crime & Courts Reporter will be able to reach Newsweek's broad U.S. readership through a skilful approach to writing engaging stories. They will tap into the zeitgeist of the American public to produce content that reflects their concerns and interests around crime, judiciary, politics, and policy. They will leverage current affairs and news topics to connect with readers. They will link crime and prominent court cases to broader national socioeconomic and political issues. They will be considerate of ethical and journalistic best practices in reporting on crime and court matters. 

They will have detailed knowledge of U.S. criminal law and procedure, the U.S. justice system, law enforcement practices, crime trends and statistics, major criminal cases, criminal justice policies, and the relationship between law enforcement and the community. Familiarity with constitutional rights and civil liberties, investigative skills, the ability to analyse legal documents and court records, and a keen eye for accuracy and detail are also highly valued for this role. 

 They will produce content that leads the daily news agenda. They may be asked to assist and support editors with tasks, planning, projects and experiments related to the daily activities of the team.  

The Senior Crime & Courts Reporter will lead by example, contributing to breaking news, live blogs, interviews, originals and exclusives by securing comments from sources and experts, through researching topics, and producing content and media that adds value to the Newsweek file.  

They will demonstrate an excellent understanding of the core tenets of journalism and the needs of a fast-paced digital newsroom. They will be among the first in the newsroom to readily adopt new tools, methods and techniques for news reporting. They will be expert at monitoring multiple sources to find and identify news and current affairs topics and conversations that capture an American audience.  

The Senior U.S. Crime & Courts Reporter will be responsible for ensuring high-quality coverage that is accurate, fair, and conforms to accepted standards of journalism. They will perform any other reasonable duties as necessary to meet the needs of the business 

Topics expected to be covered include, but are not limited to: Supreme Court decisions and their impact on criminal law; Major criminal trials and court proceedings; Analysis of crime statistics and trends; Homicides and violent crimes; Missing persons and cold cases; Gun violence and gun control measures; Drug crime and the opioid epidemic; Drug policy and the decriminalization/legalization debate; White-collar crime and corporate fraud; Cybercrime and digital security breaches; Police misconduct and excessive use of force; Criminal justice reform efforts and legislation; Gang-related and organized crime; Human trafficking and exploitation; Child abuse and juvenile justice issues; Hate crime; Police-community relations; Criminal sentencing and parole hearings; Prison conditions and inmate rights; Crime prevention programs and initiatives. 

Working hours: This is a full-time role, working 5 days a week, Monday to Friday, between the hours of 6am-6pm depending on the needs of the company. 

Place of Work: Our office is based in London but you will have the ability to work from home anywhere in the UK. 

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Contribute meaningfully to several news stories each day in accordance with Newsweek’s standards and production objectives.  
• Obtain original comments, research and examine legal documents, analyze data, contribute to live blogs and breaking news, and produce graphics and other media to enhance Newsweek’s original stories and features.  
• Scour multiple sources for stories, emerging trends and conversations.  
• Check facts and sources and ensure content is of the highest possible standard  
• Ensure Newsweek delivers high-quality reporting that is accurate, fair, and conforms to accepted standards of journalism.  
• Perform any other reasonable duties as necessary to meet the needs of the business. 

QUALIFICATIONS:

• Several years of reporting experience working at a reputable publication. 
• Organization and planning skills.  
• Writing and copy-editing skills.  
• SEO and online journalism skills. 
• Familiarity covering U.S. crime and courts news and trends  
• Familiarity with using social media, Google Trends and other news discovery tools to find stories.  
• Capable of working to tight deadlines  
• Must be able to work flexible hours 

Newsweek is an equal opportunity employer. We seek employees of diverse backgrounds and are committed to providing an inclusive, equitable and respectful workplace.