Ivana Hrynkiw, an investigative reporter who covers the justice system for AL.com, has won a national Investigative Reporters and Editors’ Award.

The award recognized Hrynkiw for her series Denied: Alabama’s broken parole system.

“This work helped change the lives of people in Alabama,” said Challen Stephens, acting vice president of news for Alabama Media Group. “And we’re thrilled to see it recognized among so many examples of powerful journalism. Ivana did tremendous work here, and Denied continues to have impact today.”

The reporting found that the Alabama parole board used to release most prisoners who were eligible. But under new leadership, paroles fell to 8% by 2023. That’s despite the board’s own guidelines suggesting more than 80% of prisoners should qualify for a second chance.

The series has led to significant impact. The parole rate rose to 20% the month after the first article, and finished 2024 at 20%, according to state data. That comes out to roughly 250 more people getting out of prison last year than in 2023.

Lawmakers also held hearings and demanded answers, as prisoners featured on AL.com found lawyers or got new hearings that resulted in their release.

“It’s easy for people that aren’t incarcerated to brush off Alabama’s systemic prison issues as things that don’t affect them,” said Hrynkiw. “But, for everyone in the system and everyone with a loved one there, they don’t have that luxury. I hope Denied was able to show the human side of what happens when a state decides to keep everyone locked up for as long as possible.”

Hrynkiw’s series won the IRE Award for Division III, which includes statewide online news outlets.

“This reporting on Alabama’s parole system wowed the judges,” says the announcement on the IRE website.

Finalists in Division III are the Miami Herald, for an investigation of a deadly boat crash, and The Arizona Republic for an investigation that tied the deadly beating of a 16-year-old to a string of assaults by a gang of elite teenagers.

Since 1979, the IRE Awards have recognized outstanding watchdog journalism. The IRE Contest Committee selected this year’s winners from more than 540 entries across 19 categories.

Hrynkiw’s work was also recently named a finalist for a Silver Gavel Award from the American Bar Association.

Last month, she was recognized as one of Tomorrow’s News Trailblazers by Editor & Publisher Magazine for her reporting on Alabama prisons.