Did shame-meisters feel their own? (Jack Bog's Blog)

The folks at Willamette Week have an interesting story today about the business tactics of pdxmugshots.com -- particularly, their willingness to remove mug shot photos from their website for a fee. We questioned the practice here last year.

As of this morning, unless we're missing something, the folks at pdxmugshots.com have disabled their "pay us and we'll delete your photo" feature. Perhaps that was in response to the WW inquiry? Here's how it used to look:

Here's how it looks now:

Anyway, one would hope they could pay for the site, and even make a few bucks, with advertising and a "donate" button. An archive of Portland mug shots is an invaluable service -- we'd give a few bucks a year to keep it going. Of course, the government should provide this kind of archive to all, free of charge, but it spends all its public information money on tweeting and other propaganda.

As we recall, at least in its early days pdxmugshots.com also filtered out some crimes that it deemed victimless or invalid. We didn't like that feature, either. Let society decide.

Comments (9)

Arrest does not equal guilt.

Posted by Molly | August 24, 2011 8:59 AM

Kind of like blackmail.

Posted by George | August 24, 2011 10:50 AM

Certain publications used to do something like this. Their game was buy an ad in our publication and the story you don't want published will never appear. As long as your checks arrive on time, that is.

Wonder if The O works like that?

Posted by The Other Jimbo | August 24, 2011 4:10 PM

I'd be shocked if it didn't. That is, I've always believed The O takes special care of its biggest advertisers.

Posted by boycat | August 24, 2011 4:27 PM

I prefer to go straight to the source for Multnomah County....

http://www.mcso.us/PAID/Default.aspx

Posted by thaddeus | August 24, 2011 4:39 PM

BTW....no names required on the MCSO inmate listing....just hit search for a complete listing of everyone currently in custody. You can then click on a name to get details of the arrest and a mugshot of the person.

Enjoy....

Posted by thaddeus | August 24, 2011 4:42 PM

Yeah, but there's no archive.

Posted by Jack Bog | August 24, 2011 4:52 PM

Terrible idea to violate the privacy of anyone perp or victim.

Judging from Jon Benet Ramsey and the Casey Anthony trial, there is more money involved in pictures of victims. Child victims in particular.

Imagine the money one could make by creating a website that actively seeks to build and show an extensive collection of victims of crime. A website where rape victims are identified with their photo and a brief 2 paragraph synopsis of what crime was perpetuated against them.

The site would be a draw just like Nancy Grace made CNN 100s of millions by plugging photos of Caylee Anthony to draw attention to the Casey Anthony case.

Why should it not go both ways? I see more of a money-making potential to be had from getting photos of victims, especially attractive children to draw in the sympathy website hit.

Posted by killiana1a | August 24, 2011 8:37 PM

I actually contacted the mugshots site-owner last year after someone shown on their site committed suicide. I asked that that photo & listing be removed. It was, promptly, and the site-owner expressed condolences for the person's family. I don't like the whole idea of the mugshots site, but was pleased that the owner was responsive.

Posted by Kathy W | August 24, 2011 8:40 PM

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Wednesday, August 24, 2011

Did shame-meisters feel their own?

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