Pamela Colloff

Pamela Colloff is an investigative journalist known for her in-depth reporting on the American criminal justice system. As a reporter at ProPublica and a staff writer at The New York Times Magazine, Colloff uses detailed reporting and narrative storytelling to examine systemic issues within criminal justice, including prosecutorial misconduct, unreliable expert testimony, and forensic science failures. She began her career at Texas Monthly, where she served as a staff writer and later as executive editor, contributing to the magazine's tradition of long-form journalism and investigative reporting.

Colloff's reporting has had significant impact on criminal justice reform. Her investigation at Texas Monthly into the wrongful conviction of Anthony Graves, who spent 18 years on Texas's death row, was credited with contributing to his exoneration. In her two-part story, "The Innocent Man," Colloff chronicled the case of Michael Morton, who was released after 25 years of wrongful incarceration. This work earned her a National Magazine Award. Her story "96 Minutes," which compiled survivor and witness accounts of the University of Texas tower shooting, inspired the documentary film "Tower," which was short-listed for an Academy Award for Best Documentary Feature.

In her ProPublica–New York Times Magazine investigation "False Witness," Colloff examined the use of jailhouse informant testimony in nearly 40 criminal cases across Florida and Texas. The article brought national attention to the risks associated with jailhouse informants and has been used by the Innocence Project as an educational resource for legislative reform efforts.

Colloff has received multiple honors for her journalism, including two National Magazine Awards, the Hillman Prize, the IRE Award, the Taylor Family Award for Fairness in Journalism, and the Molly National Journalism Prize. The Nieman Foundation for Journalism at Harvard University recognized her with the Louis M. Lyons Award for Conscience and Integrity in Journalism. Her work has been featured in anthologies such as "Best American Magazine Writing," "Best American Crime Reporting," and "Best American Nonrequired Reading."

Colloff is the author of the book "Catch the Devil: A True Story of Murder, Deception, and Injustice on the Gulf Coast," which investigates the role of a jailhouse informant in Texas and Florida. The book has been recognized by The New York Times, Boston Globe, Town & Country, NPR, and Los Angeles Times. Colloff continues to produce reporting that explores wrongful convictions, criminal justice reform, and the complexities of the legal system.