mugshots in the USA

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Hi everyone! I’m European. And lately, I have been wondering about “mugshots”. If I have understood correctly (but correct me if I’m wrong, that is why I am posting here: to learn!), whenever someone is arrested under the suspicion of some crime, mugshots are taken, and made publically available.

Is this true, or is this just an impression of mine? Can anyone just view the pics of people who have been arrested without being proven guilty?

Thanks in advance to anyone who cares to shed some light on this topic!

Much love to you all from Europe!

Memory <3

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31 Answers

Anonymous 0 Comments

So, the ‘pro’ of mandating that mugshots and arrests be made public is so that the police can’t “Disappear” people. It’s to protect the people being arrested from just being lynched or killed or held without anyone knowing where they are. It’s basically a transparency policy.

As you mentioned, there’s a ‘con’, in that a lot of people watch them and assume guilt.

The rules vary quite a bit across different cities and states depending on history and people’s views. some require it, some prohibit it, some have a mix.

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