But it's worthwhile considering for a few moments just why the paper is using some of its remaining ink for that purpose in the first place. Being arrested for trying to pick up a call-girl (or boy) is certainly an embarrassing crime, especially for men who are married or in a relationship of some other kind, but what's the cost to society? Why does this crime, among the many committed each day, deserve this treatment? And these are, remember, suspects, truly innocent until and unless proven guilty. (Do you really want to trust the government...and police are a part of that government...to arrest only the guilty? Really?) Where does the man go to repair his reputation after he is acquited? Will the mug-shot-treatment outlive any effort on the paper's part to report an acquittal weeks later? And will the stations even bother?
And if he's convicted, so what? Frankly, I would much rather see a page of the mug shots of people who are convicted of breaking into houses and cars, or those swindling old folks or mistreating their children or being serial litterers or vandals. Those are the faces I want to remember.
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Aug 22, 2009
The Scarlet Letter
Like most things, this is not a new issue. Police set up a prostitution sting. Newspaper publishes photos of the men arrested with the fake ho's. TV stations jump at the chance to display moral outrage and broadcast the mug shots. Oh my!
But it's worthwhile considering for a few moments just why the paper is using some of its remaining ink for that purpose in the first place. Being arrested for trying to pick up a call-girl (or boy) is certainly an embarrassing crime, especially for men who are married or in a relationship of some other kind, but what's the cost to society? Why does this crime, among the many committed each day, deserve this treatment? And these are, remember, suspects, truly innocent until and unless proven guilty. (Do you really want to trust the government...and police are a part of that government...to arrest only the guilty? Really?) Where does the man go to repair his reputation after he is acquited? Will the mug-shot-treatment outlive any effort on the paper's part to report an acquittal weeks later? And will the stations even bother?
And if he's convicted, so what? Frankly, I would much rather see a page of the mug shots of people who are convicted of breaking into houses and cars, or those swindling old folks or mistreating their children or being serial litterers or vandals. Those are the faces I want to remember.
But it's worthwhile considering for a few moments just why the paper is using some of its remaining ink for that purpose in the first place. Being arrested for trying to pick up a call-girl (or boy) is certainly an embarrassing crime, especially for men who are married or in a relationship of some other kind, but what's the cost to society? Why does this crime, among the many committed each day, deserve this treatment? And these are, remember, suspects, truly innocent until and unless proven guilty. (Do you really want to trust the government...and police are a part of that government...to arrest only the guilty? Really?) Where does the man go to repair his reputation after he is acquited? Will the mug-shot-treatment outlive any effort on the paper's part to report an acquittal weeks later? And will the stations even bother?
And if he's convicted, so what? Frankly, I would much rather see a page of the mug shots of people who are convicted of breaking into houses and cars, or those swindling old folks or mistreating their children or being serial litterers or vandals. Those are the faces I want to remember.
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It always amazes me how police can afford to expend resources on victimless 'crimes' like drug use and prostitution. And how the public cheers the cops on when their tax money is spent in this fashion. Yet, the public is difficult to rile when neither drug use nor prostitution declines. There are far worse real crimes that could use the attention of the MPD or any other PD.
ReplyDeleteI'll wager that cops go after non-violent drug users and prostitutes because it's easy work. Like shooting fish in a barrel as you said the other day about kooky politicians and editorial writers. They don't want to chase the real bad guys because that is too much work...and they might get shot. Much easier to pretend to do something than actually do something.
Drugs and prostitution should be legal. Despite the hundreds of millions of dollars spent every year in Alabama on marijuana law enforcement only 2.6% of the estimated marijuana consumers were arrested in 2002. I don't know what the numbers for prostitution are. Keeping both illegal increases the danger for the public because it causes an increase in crime, accidental death by overdose and the spread of disease that would mostly be prevented if the moral crusaders that populate Alabama would just use a little common sense.
Naturally, I take a decidedly different stand than does Mrs. Nall on the issue of prostitution and narcotics.
ReplyDeleteProstitution is not a "victimless" crime. At least the women who sold their bodies to support their drug habits wouldn't think it victimless.
Neither would their children or families. They are victims number two and three plus.
To assert that until someone decides to kill her - thus making her the "ultimate" victim - she is not a victim, simply won't hold water.
Then there's the solicitor of that criminal act, who most usually acts in secret. If a person acts secretly - they would still were prostitution legal - then they can't be trusted. And then often, they get to bring home more than the bacon... something like a good case of herpes, AIDS, syphilis, chlamydia or gonorrhea. Then, you spread the "love" around.
How many victims do we have now?
And in the course of my work, I've seen the victims, heard theirs and more stories about wrecked lives, broken families, destroyed property and more. Ever wonder why a house that was a crystal meth factory can't be sold? The wretched smelling fumes permeate the entire structure, making it incapable of being cleaned... if it doesn't first violently explode and set nearby houses on fire.
Yet more victims.
Those issues aside, you raise a good point, Tim, although, arrest records are public documents.
And as I listen to news, in the case of those arrested, most often the announcer emphasizes that the person is accused of and/or charged with a crime.
Besides... isn't it the job of the for-profit news to SELL eyes on the set and paper in the hands? It IS news, after all. Remember, the media doesn't report the 95% of stuff under the Bell curve - they report the outliers, the fringe.
If there's any damage done to one's character as a result of any arrest, upon subsequent acquittal, an attorney could be retained for such damages as a jury may decide.
But then, to avoid arrest, perhaps it's best to stay away from situations where one might be arrested.
What do you reckon?