Mugshots and the Madness

Well, it seems the good folks over at the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals have decided to protect us from the horrors of prematurely viewing mugshots — as if seeing the face of an alleged wrongdoer before their conviction is akin to waterboarding them in public. The court has ruled that releasing mugshots could be “punishing” individuals not yet convicted, which, they say, violates the 8th Amendment’s prohibition of cruel and unusual punishment.

Quite the stretch, if you ask me. But, as I say, we live in an age of sensitivity.

As a result of this judicial wisdom, both Washoe and Lyon counties here in Nevada have taken up the new cause of fairness. The Lyon County Sheriff’s Office, known for their weekly “Mugshot Monday” feature on Facebook — the local equivalent of a reality TV show, without the plot or the drama — has decided to scrap the tradition in favor of a more mundane “arrest statistics” report. Yes, that’s right: no more mugshots, just dry numbers.

Who needs a face when you can have a statistic?

Washoe County, not one to get behind in the race for justice and fairness, has decided to follow suit — somewhat. Their District Attorney’s office will still release mugshots after the accused gets convicted.

We can all rest easier knowing that, once convicted, they’ll be happy to share those pictures. After all, there’s nothing quite as freeing as knowing you’ve been convicted of something before your face makes it into the public eye.

And yet, not every sheriff in Nevada is buying into this “don’t judge a criminal by their mugshot” philosophy. Some counties will keep things as they’ve always been, insisting that the Ninth Circuit’s ruling is the latest trend for overruling in an appeal.

After all, why should we stop showing mugshots when so many of us rely on them for entertainment and the occasional gossip? It’s almost as if these mugshots are part of our collective community spirit.

Now, if you’re wondering if this will make a difference, let me assure you, it’s all a bit like rearranging the deck chairs on the Titanic. Some will insist it’s a noble step toward fairness and justice, while others will keep right on posting mugshots.

The Ninth Circuit’s ruling might be as influential as a Nevada dust storm, but it’s bound to stir up a little more than a breeze.