Should law enforcement be allowed to alter mugshots?

Question

And if so, should there be a limit? What should those limits be? We all know law enforcement and our criminal justice system in the US doesn’t have the best track record of fair and unbiased application of the law. Do you think that allowing this could lead to more corruption and wrongful convictions?

Accepted Answer

The point of a mugshot is to be able to identify the person of interest. If you alter the photo it defeats the purpose of having it and it’s about as helpful as a brief description.

Answer

I didn't  really read the whole article... but no, mugshots shouldn't  be altered.   If they got more tattoos/scars, wearing  an eye patch or whatever  let the person use their imagination  with a random line up/photo  line up.

Answer

No. Not at all okay. He pretty much got fingered for a crime because he looked like someone who did it. I've had to look at mugshots to point out the person and because I was only 85% sure the one I pointed at was the guy, they couldn't bring up charges against him for my specific case. What they did is completely fucking wrong.

Answer

Nope, don't like that. Not to mention, looking at the two photos, they obviously did more than just cover up the tattoos. They also added a little bit of a beard and more hair on his head, and some shadow around the edge of his face. I'd worry that things like this could potentially lead to more wrongful accusations. For example, did the person editing the picture see any of the bank robbery footage? If he had, he could unintentionally have altered the image to look more like the person in the footage. 
If they insist on having pictures without the tattoos, I think they would be better off actually applying makeup to the suspect before taking the shot used for a lineup.

Answer

Mugshots should never be altered.

Answer

I agree with the guy's attorney.  I dont like this

Answer

Wow this should be illegal!! You can alter a photo to make someone look like anyone you want. Seems like the police have tunnel vision and have decided he did it so now they need the evidence to match

Answer

The fact that they altered the guy’s mugshot is super shady.

Answer

I’d think it should have a disclaimer that it had been altered and how they altered it. I don’t really see it as any different than a sketch or when they do the pictures where they age the suspect.

Answer

I think it’s one thing if it’s like a BOLO (be on the look out). Like if there’s a suspect on the loose and police know that he’s shaved his head or that he’s grown out a long beard since his last arrest. Yea, photoshop that and put it on the news so the public knows who they are looking for. But altered images shouldn’t be allowed to be used in photo lineups for witness identification.

Should law enforcement be allowed to alter mugshots?

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