WPRB News is going on summer vacation, but we still have a couple stories up our collective sleeve. Check back in the coming weeks for fresh content, including our take on Chatroulette (yes, we’re jumping on the bandwagon, albeit late) and a look at how one holocaust survivor became an advocate for immigrant detainees in New Jersey.
For now, bide your time by listening to some of our favorite pieces. We’ll be back in on the air in September.
Newark Airport (CC Flickr: _hlian)
In January 2010, a graduate student named Haisong Jiang crossed a Newark Liberty International Airport security line in order to say goodbye to his girlfriend one last time. The breach (which came less than a month after the apprehension of the so-called “underwear bomber“) caused more than travel delays. For Jiang, a Chinese national, it brought a personal introduction to the American justice system. In March, he pleaded guilty to defiant trespass. His punishment? Community service and a $500 fine (plus court fees). A bill to tighten airport security is now advancing through the New Jersey Legislature.
Although the incident was covered by a number of media outlets, Jiang has been shy about interviews. We wanted the story straight from him. Rosy Yang reports.
Script by Aku Ammah Tagoe and Rosy Yang. Flora Thomson-Deveaux and Nikki Leon contributed editing. Senior Producer was Aku Ammah Tagoe. Executive Producer was Nikki Leon. Special thanks to Ian Auzenne and Jon Solomon. Music from Chad Crouch and Evgeny Grinko.
You can also watch the video of what happened at Newark Airport here:
CC Flickr photo by Lisa Andres: The Atlantic City Boardwalk at Night
In New Jersey, the re-arrest (recidivism) rate for adult offenders is about 55%. We’ve got a lot of people ending up in jail more than once here—about 31% of all adult prisoners.
Who do these numbers represent? We sit down with one prisoner from Atlantic City to learn more. Tasnim Shamma reports.
Naomi Nix contributed editing to this story. Aku Ammah-Tagoe was Senior Producer. Executive Producer was Nikki Leon.
Music from Chad Crouch.