Raw Story's Alexandria Jacobson wins Sidney Award for post-crime investigation

Investigative reporter Alexandria Jacobson of Raw Story has won the prestigious Sidney Award for her months-long investigation into violence against mail carriers and a recent spike in postal crime.

Jacobson's investigation, “Mail carriers face bullets and punches as the postal service sidelines police,” sparked an immediate response from federal lawmakers, who called on Congress to pass legislation to help ensure security for postal workers and the postal service itself improve.

“Jacobson’s careful reporting shines a light on the risks letter carriers face and official indifference to their well-being in the workplace,” Sidney Award judge Lindsay Beyerstein said Wednesday. “This story highlights how mail carrier safety, given the scale of theft and fraud, impacts not only the employees involved, but all of us.”

The Sidney Award is a monthly award sponsored by the Sidney Hillman Foundation for “outstanding investigative journalism that exposes social and economic injustices” and is given to only one investigation per month.

Other recent Sidney Award recipients include journalists from the Associated Press, New York Times, New Yorker, Washington Post, Wall Street Journal and San Francisco Chronicle.

“Alex's investigation combines the best of data journalism and leather reporting into a distinctly human story that truly touches everyone who uses the U.S. Postal Service,” said Dave Levinthal, Editor-in-Chief of Raw Story. “In reporting this story, Alex had to overcome numerous obstacles over several months and overcome them all.”

Raw Story's investigative reporting has won several national awards in recent months, including a Best in Business Award from the Society for Advancing Business Editing Writing, a Folio Award from the Fair Media Council and an ION Award. In November, Editor & Publisher named Raw Story the “Best News/Politics Blog” of 2023.

Founded in 2004, Raw Story is America's largest independent political news site.

Long known for its fast-paced reporting and commentary on breaking news, Raw Story has significantly expanded its investigative and corporate reporting team. Last year's new hires include Levinthal, managing editor Adam Nichols, deputy managing editor Kathleen Culliton, night editor David McAfee and investigative reporters Mark Alesia and Jacobson.