I spent Wednesday with Leonard A. Sipes Jr., who works for the federal government but was the spokesman for the state prison system when I knew him years ago as a reporter. He now is the spokesman for the Court Services and Offender Supervision Agency in Washington.

That's a federal agency that oversees people parole and probation from DC crimes. In addition to answering questions from reporters, he runs a multi-media enterprise that consists of TV and radio programs and blogs.

The radio show, which I did with Washington Post reporter Robert E. Pierre, got into many topics about how the media reports on crime and people's misperceptions about violence and what it all means.

His site goes beyond simple PR. He addresses complicated issues such as why offenders repeat crimes, how sex offenders are monitored and what happens to women when they get released from prison. He interviews people and has reporters and other experts on his shows, offering debate and opinions that you don't often see on government-sponorsed programs.

He interviewed people who voluntarily turned themselves in to DC authorities in a church as part of a program to clear old warrants. The interviews went on-line, were noticed by the media and stories were done that Sipes said prompted even more people surrender. He even did a show on why it takes a heroin addict who steals 20 times a month so long to get sober.

"Nobody else is doing it," Sipes said when asked by he goes beyond simply posting agency press releases.

I wouldn't say this site replaces the role of the traditional media, but it the topics are interesting and you certainly learn a lot about the agency and the people it works with. It's one tool for anyone to check out.