Mugshots Help With Reporting

As one of the last media outlets that regularly covers local courts in Northern Nevada, the Record-courier runs mugshots with serious felonies we report on. (“Critical Thinking: As More News Outlets Stop Posting Mugshots of People, Should Other Newsrooms Follow Their Lead?” April 2020) One reason to run a mugshot that is not addressed here is to ensure the right person is being reported on. If it’s a murder or some sort of sexual assault, having the person’s mugshot with the story ensures someone with a similar name isn’t blamed for an egregious crime, something that’s actually happened in our region.