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Mugshot Leaderboard Case Study

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Black mascara ran down her face as she stared into the camera, her eyes pooled with tears. The photograph captures her disheveled hair and minimal clothing, all parts of her obvious state of despair. All that is known of her is her name, Michelle, and her accused crime. Michelle’s photo is seen published amongst a sea of mugshots just like hers, all located on Maricopa County Sheriff Office’s website. It is that website where people visit to partake in a disturbing competition in which Michelle has been made an unwilling contestant of. A contest whose sole purpose is to find entertainment in the misery, mental illness, or otherwise low points in people’s lives. Thanks to the MCSO’s website, dozens of people are placed in Michelle’s situation …show more content…

Proponents of the M.O.D., for example, conclude that the Leaderboard is a positive and fair tool for the Sheriff’s Office to use. Some believe that it can reduce crime by instilling fear in potential lawbreakers. For others, a strong belief in the public’s right-to-know stands as more important than an inmate’s right to due process. All too frequently, supporters mistakenly assume guilt when a person has been arrested; thus deserving of any negative consequence which may result. However, many of these strongly held beliefs are based off misinformation, and are detrimental to the overall goal of a reduction in crime and human …show more content…

At any given time, more than 4 people of every 10 listed on Arpaio’s website are statistically likely to be suffering from one of many types of psychological disorders. People who suffer from mental illness need professional help, not to be taken advantage of or used as the town jester. These are people whom for a variety of reasons, may struggle to understand reality or with reasoning and decision making. Mentally ill individuals are amongst the most vulnerable of our society, deserving of medical assistance and a principled judicial system. Unfortunately, when circumstances of their condition lead to an arrest, they do not receive said medical assistance or a dignified handling of their case. Instead, their tendency toward an atypical presentation of themselves lends them to become among the most popular of the M.O.D. Leaderboard. Frequently receiving numerous votes and front page appearances, this group in particular attracts the most attention and

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