Get arrested and you may earn your 15 minutes of notoriety on the cover of Mugshot Mania, a tabloid that hit the stands in Pittsburgh last month and features arrest photos of those in the area who have spent time behind bars in the recent past, says the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. Its creator, Shawn Kirkwood, 41, says, “Our intent for this publication is to educate the public about local crime [and] of course help law enforcement deter crime.”
Local officials and experts were skeptical of his claims that it could discourage criminal behavior and worried about the implications of publishing the photos of people who have been accused, but not convicted, of crimes. David Krajicek of Criminal Justice Journalists said the publication “absolutely tells you nothing about crime.” He said, “This is not legitimate societal journalism. This is prurience.”