Mother Jones Summary

Months after publishing Bauer’s story, Mother Jones reported on the effects that their article had in the private prison community. The more significant of these changes include, an independent DOJ investigation of private prisons, a decision by the DOJ to stop using private prisons, etc. (Andrews). If Mother Jones had not pursued this story, it is fair to say that CCA and Winn Correctional Center would have gone on operating the way they had for years: understaffed and putting profit over humanity. The conditions at Winn were dangerous for the prisoners, as they were abusing and neglecting them. Winn’s prison guards, vastly outnumbered by prisoners, over worked and poorly trained, were also put at risk by CCA’s poor oversight and pursuit of

If a journalist determines that the truth cannot be revealed without some form of deception in obtaining it, their obligation to be transparent to their readers is brought to the forefront. If a journalist is willing to reconcile their pursuit of the truth with the means by which they get it, they must also be willing to tell their audience where they acted deceptively, in order to earn the public’s trust (Uberti). Bauer is completely transparent in his reporting, explaining to the audience where and when he was deceptive, the actions—even if admittedly shameful—that he took as a guard, as well as the methods by which he recorded his time in the prison—via audio-recording pen, and video recording watch

With no governing body to regulate journalism and tell us the answer, it seems to be one of the many gray areas of journalism ethics. So I can only answer with my own conclusion: no. While I commend Bauer for what was an admirable piece of journalism, I don’t think that I can reconcile a journalist’s responsibility to tell the truth with any act of deception. However, when confronted with the question of whether I, in the position as a media executive at Mother Jones, I think that I would have pursed the story, knowing that we would not be able to get through it unscathed or without a single infraction against the SPJ Code of Ethics. My decision, after carefully considering the SPJ Code of Ethics, Poynter’s “Deception/Hidden Cameras Checklist”, and the insight of journalism scholars, comes down to the question: is it worth it? The fact that there were no other means by which Bauer could pursue this story fully, Mother Jones’ careful research and reporting in the year between the undercover work, and, ultimately, the public’s right to know what occurs in private prisons, justifies the decision to act deceptively in obtaining this story. After all, it is a journalist’s duty to act in the public’s best