
Mugshots.com’s alleged co-owners arrested on extortion charges - InTheViv
https://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/2018/05/all-of-mugshots-coms-alleged-co-owners-arrested-on-extortion-charges/
======
olliej
here’s what I don’t get: why are mug shots public at any point prior to
conviction?

Should these people go to jail? Yes, it’s extortion plain and simple. But they
should never have had these images for anyone who was not found guilty - or in
this case even charged.

~~~
anigbrowl
The claim for publication is that the public has a right to know about
potential criminal activity and so on. Of course, the reality is that
publication of the mugshot is accepted by many as proof of criminal liability
notwithstanding disclaimers to the contrary.

It's less clear why police departments publish them, but I think it has a lot
to do with sheriffs and prosecutors being elected offices in the US. I've
never agreed with this process since the potential for abuse is so obvious,
and also since it makes it that much more difficult, time-consuming, and
expensive to assemble a neutral jury when a case does go to trial.

