(29 entries)

Judge: Stephanie Saul, national correspondent, New York Newsday
Saul won the 1995 Pulitzer for investigative reporting. She also is a past winner of the George Polk Award and has been honored by the Scripps Howard Foundation and IRE. She has been with Newsday 16 years.

First Place
ROBBIE SHERWOOD
The Arizona Republic
"Mesa cops get naked for stings."
"An enterprising story on an outrageous method for catching prostitutes. The reporter asked the right questions, followed through with a Freedom of Information Act request, then successfully used records to prove his point. A fine example of how public records can be used to enlighten readers."

Second Place
STEPHANIE INNES
Tucson Citizen
"Sharita's new start."
"An up-close account of a young woman's release from a juvenile facility, revealing her fears, hopes and foibles. This was a well-written and revealing look at the life of a youthful offender, something families are reluctant to discuss candidly. The reporter handled it sensitively, leaving the reader hopeful that Sharita can achieve her goals despite several setbacks."

Third Place
HIPOLITO CORELLA
Arizona Daily Star
"The power of the court."
"An enterprising look at the mistreatment of female offenders by their probation officers. The reporter took lawsuits filed in federal court to a higher level, detailing the allegations for readers in a clear and concise way that had to leave them outraged."

Honorable Mention
VICTORIA HARKER
The Arizona Republic
"Fighting the system."
"An interesting look at how litigation can become an obsession, artfully told through the story of one family trying to avenge what they saw as a wrong."