Mental-health advocates decry mug shot contest
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PHOENIX (AP) — Mental-health advocates are complaining about a new online contest launched by the Maricopa County Sheriff’s Office that asks people to choose the most popular jail booking photos posted on its website.
TheArizona Republic reports that more than 25 percent of Maricopa County
Charles Arnold, an attorney who’s a longtime advocate for the mentally ill, says the outcome of the online mug shot game was predictable given that many people in Sheriff Joe Arpaio’s jails are dealing with some combination of substance abuse, mental illness and physical ailments.
“While we might risk advancing (Arpaio’s) publicity component, I think it’s critical that we try to get in the way of this and stop this kind of exploitative behavior — because that’s exactly what it is,”Arnold
Arpaio says his office isn’t making fun of the mentally ill. “The photos are there anyway,“ Arpaio said. ”What difference does it make if you ask them which one they like? They don’t know the history of the person.“
The Sheriff’s Office says Arpaio’s new Web page attracted more than 135,000 visitors in its first four days of existence. The same page drew 191,000 visitors over the 30 days before that.
Arpaio’s track record of publicizing inmates inMaricopa County
In 2001, Arpaio began streaming footage online from the booking area at the old Madison Street Jail. Inmates sued in federal court and won an injunction against the webcast. Arpaio appealed the ruling and was denied by the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals.
After the mug shot game was unveiled this week, Scott Ambrose, aPhoenix
“It’s the same type of offense,” Ambrose said. “He’s clearly using these people who are not guilty of any crime for an entertainment factor, which I find offensive and quite possibly illegal.”
Proving the contest is illegal, and getting Arpaio to take the feature down, is another matter, Ambrose said.
“Can you show that the most pathetic, sad, downtrodden, disabled people are routinely being presented as the Mug Shot of the Day?” Ambrose asked. “That’s when you would have a good argument that this is a form of punishment.”
Arpaio says that booking photos are aired in the news media every day.
The
Charles Arnold, an attorney who’s a longtime advocate for the mentally ill, says the outcome of the online mug shot game was predictable given that many people in Sheriff Joe Arpaio’s jails are dealing with some combination of substance abuse, mental illness and physical ailments.
“While we might risk advancing (Arpaio’s) publicity component, I think it’s critical that we try to get in the way of this and stop this kind of exploitative behavior — because that’s exactly what it is,”
Arpaio says his office isn’t making fun of the mentally ill. “The photos are there anyway,“ Arpaio said. ”What difference does it make if you ask them which one they like? They don’t know the history of the person.“
The Sheriff’s Office says Arpaio’s new Web page attracted more than 135,000 visitors in its first four days of existence. The same page drew 191,000 visitors over the 30 days before that.
Arpaio’s track record of publicizing inmates in
In 2001, Arpaio began streaming footage online from the booking area at the old Madison Street Jail. Inmates sued in federal court and won an injunction against the webcast. Arpaio appealed the ruling and was denied by the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals.
After the mug shot game was unveiled this week, Scott Ambrose, a
“It’s the same type of offense,” Ambrose said. “He’s clearly using these people who are not guilty of any crime for an entertainment factor, which I find offensive and quite possibly illegal.”
Proving the contest is illegal, and getting Arpaio to take the feature down, is another matter, Ambrose said.
“Can you show that the most pathetic, sad, downtrodden, disabled people are routinely being presented as the Mug Shot of the Day?” Ambrose asked. “That’s when you would have a good argument that this is a form of punishment.”
Arpaio says that booking photos are aired in the news media every day.
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