Shaping the Future of Justice Reporting in Alabama

Alaina Bookman / AL.com

In Birmingham, where communities have long grappled with cycles of youth incarceration and systemic concerns, coverage of criminal justice has rarely focused on solutions. But when Alaina Bookman joined AL.com as a Report for America corps member, she brought a new lens—one grounded in empathy, accuracy, and accountability.

During her corps term, Alaina produced nearly 400 stories, many of them part of AL.com’s “Beyond the Violence” project examining whether the city can grow beyond its crime problemand become safer, healthier and happier. Her reporting on RESTORE, a juvenile reentry program earned national recognition from the Solutions Journalism Network. More importantly, it gave readers a fuller, more human picture of what a future Birmingham can look like. Alaina is one of 14 members of Report for America’s criminal justice cohort—a group of corps members specially trained to cover this high-stakes beat.

Through expert mentorship from leaders like The Marshall Project and hands-on newsroom experience, she developed the skills needed to navigate a deeply complex system—and earned the trust of the community she reported on. Thanks to her impact and growth, AL.com hired Alaina into a permanent role—joining more than half of her fellow Report for America graduates who are continuing their mission beyond their service term.

#RFAImpact2025 is an ongoing series that spotlights profiles from our 2025 Impact Report. Read the 2025 Report for America Impact Report here.