Exploitation and abuse are constant dangers for people with developmental disabilities. In fact, individuals who are mentally retarded are four to ten times likely to be abused than those who are not disabled. Compared to the general population, those who are mentally retarded are at a higher risk for abuse and, tend to be abused by their caregiver or someone they know. The predator who hunts down their victims typically look for a person with a disability who seems weak, vulnerable and less likely to report abuse, making them easy targets. Many of those who are targeted, live in groups homes where the abuse can be easily hidden. In addition, the victims who are abused in group homes may have limited access to police, medical or social representatives, or, even other individuals who could possibly intervene and help. This injustice is finally brought to eye of the public when Katherine Boo publishes her work exposing the neglect and the exploitation that many of the victims who were mentally retarded faced in their city group homes.

In her investigative journalism, Katherine Boo published various articles that exposes the maltreatment of the mentally retarded and forced many officials to acknowledge the problem that was kept masked for years. She covered stories of multiple group homes where many disabled individuals had been victims of abuse, however many of her articles focused on the Forest Haven asylum, located in washington, which had become the domain of countless wrongdoings. During her investigation on Forest Haven she focused on a mentally retarded individual named Elroy. Elroy was one out of numerous patients in groups homes that have been abused and neglected. It came to the point where he tried committing suicide by throwing himself in front of a bus (“Invisible Lives: D.C.'s Troubled System for the Retarded: Forest Haven Is Gone, But the Agony Remains”). Many who sent their family members or friends to a group home believe that they were given them a safe place to get better. Unfortunately, that was not the case, many who lived in group homes never got better, instead, they were forced to work on farms for pay below minimum wage and were place under horrific conditions that would traumatized them for life. Furthermore, such activities that were once available for those who were mentally retarded in hopes of improving were gone. For example, the Special Olympics, which was once a popular event for many individuals who were disabled to attend was now extinct. It was in the Special Olympics that many of these individual could perform activities that would enable growth and improvement. Sadly they were denied that right, instead many or their caretakers paid no interest in the Special Olympic due to the fact that they got nothing out of it (“For Many Residents of Group Homes, Olympic Achievements Out of Reach”). As Katherine Boo continued to explore the exploitation in the system; a system that was trusted by many begin to take a toll on its powerful leaders in charge. This led to many of these leaders to panic and started to take action to make a change. From there on, many of the caregivers were investigate intensely and during this investigation they found that many of these caregivers were not even license however those who who did qualify were not even employed. In addition, those who were victimized were properly taken care of, many of them were put into a home based on how much they have experience and how they coped with. In result of this change many of those who had been victimized were given the opportunity to live the life that they should have been living a long time ago. (“Changes Demanded on Group Homes: City Officials Acknowledge Problems in Protecting Retarded Residents”).

If it was not for our first amendment rights, none of this scandalous news would have been discovered and those who were victimized would not have gotten justice for what they had experienced. Without freedom of press this investigative journalism done by Katherine Boo would have never been publicized and exposed the mistreatment of mentally retarded individuals. This is why the work of the press is extremely important. With our freedom of press, the press was able to cover this disquieting story about the injustice done to individuals who are mentally retarded. If this story was not covered, many of the wrongdoings of those responsible for their heinous act would have been able to walk free while their victims suffer lifetime trauma. If this system had continued it would of progressively gotten worse and even more corrupted. Lies would pile up on top of lies. Many of the mentally retarded would be and poor condition and would not have the opportunity to get better like they were promised. If any one of them came forward no one would take them seriously because they would assumed that they were wrong or they could not comprehend what exactly happened to them therefore may have misinterpreted the situation. Nonetheless with the help of the press this conflict was exposed to the public and and result many of those who were victimized are being taken care of properly and new caregivers are making sure they receive the proper care that they so righteously deserve.