Maryland Mug shots to be public record

[ZigChronic]

Maryland Mug shots to be public record


"Jun 26, 2007 3:00 AM (1 day ago)
by Luke Broadwater, The Examiner
Maryland Attorney General Doug Gansler has issued an opinion stating that criminal mug shots are a matter of public record — and should be released to the media.

“In our opinion, a mug shot in the possession of a police department is not subject to the restrictions placed on ‘criminal history record information’ by State and federal law,” Gansler wrote in a June 14 opinion. “Rather, it should be treated as an investigatory record of the police department. Thus, it should be disclosed in response to a Public Information Act request unless the department determines that disclosure would be contrary to the public interest.”

Gansler’s letter comes in response to a request from the Anne Arundel County government, which asked for guidance in releasing criminal mug shots to members of the media.

Gansler said the state Legislature may want to address the issue.

“Given the increasing use of digital photography and the potential for including digital photographs in criminal history databases, the Legislature may wish to address explicitly the status of mug shots under the Maryland CJIS [Criminal Justice Information System] statute,” he said."

So don't mess up out there don't wanna see your smiling face on a mug shot maybe we should request that the mug shot also include their forum name.