by Madison Gardner

Numbers and statistics are a helpful tool many journalists use to their advantage, but sometimes someone’s narrative gets completely overshadowed by this reporting technique. According to the Chicago Tribune, there have been over 2,300 people shot since the beginning of the year and it is no shock that the number will continue to grow. Reporters can’t possibly tell each of these 2,300 stories, but the ones they do tell, deserve time, compassion and empathy. For a young reporter about to break into the industry, it is increasingly important to develop skills early on to help tell the stories of victims in a meaningful way. Unfortunately, our current reporting default focuses heavily on statistics or the bigger picture rather than individuals.

The “who, what, when, where, why, how” in any story is important. In crime stories the “who” should always be the most significant. Dakarai Turner, a general assignment reporter at Fox32 in Chicago has had his fair share of reporting homicides, rapes and assaults. He says that being genuine and respectful are what land him the interviews – not bombarding victims and their families with questions and demands. Out of ten victims he approaches, he believes that at least six will speak with him. He says it’s because he thinks about how he would want to be approached, and how he would want someone to treat his mother. It’s not because he beat his competitors to the story – it’s because he genuinely cares.

When taking a look back in Chicago’s somewhat recent history, we can examine the treatment of Hadiya Pendleton’s story. Pendleton was a 15-year-old girl who was shot just one week after performing at President Obama’s inauguration and whose name has made the headlines for years. This is one of the perfect examples of journalists pushing the easy statistic-based coverage aside and giving someone a true narrative.

So how does a reporter approach a victim? Well if you’re not a veteran reporter, there are a handful of things to take into consideration when approaching a victim. According to the Media Crime Victim Guide, there are a number of steps a journalist can take to ensure a comfortable environment for victims/survivors. Very rarely will you find a victim that is composed and eager to speak immediately after something has happened to them or someone they know. So as a reporter on a deadline, the most important thing you can do is create a genuine human connection and respect their wishes – even if it means leaving without an interview.

It’s sometimes tricky to be both courteous and compassionate but still try to meet those harsh deadlines in the every-changing news cycle. The main takeaway here is that as humans we all have emotions and that compassion can’t be taught – it is innate. Journalists must take each and every opportunity to make a story more than just a statistic by giving people platforms to share their own narrative.

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