For a distinguished example of investigative reporting within a newspaper's area of circulation by an individual or team, presented as a single article or series, Three thousand dollars ($3,000).

Awarded to Staff of The Orange County Register, Santa Ana, Calif., for reporting that uncovered fraudulent and unethical fertility practices at a leading research university hospital and prompted key regulatory reforms.

Tonnie L. Katz accepts the 1997 Pulitzer Prize in Investigative Reporting on behalf of the staff of The Orange County Register from George Rupp, Columbia University President.

Finalists

Also nominated as finalists in this category were Chris Adams of The Times-Picayune, New Orleans, LA, for reporting on widespread Medicaid abuse in the state involving prominent officials, and David Jackson and William Gaines of the Chicago Tribune for stories that probed questionable business dealings of the Nation of Islam.