It has come to the editor's attention that at least three Methow Valley residents subscribe to a weekly newspaper from a neighboring town solely because that newspaper includes names in its police blotter of people arrested and charged with a crime, and they want to know who their "bad neighbors" are.
It has been the policy of the Methow Valley News to include names only after a person has been convicted of a crime – except in the case of serious or very public incidents – under the belief that people are innocent until proven guilty, and by associating a person's name with an unproven charge forever links that person with that alleged crime, even if they are later acquitted. Arrest records are public; anyone may get the information from them from law enforcement agencies.
What do you think? Do you favor a no-holds-barred policy of your local paper listing names of all people arrested and charged with a crime, or do you prefer the current policy of waiting for a conviction to make the names public in the newspaper? Would that change if you were arrested for something?
– John Hanron
All the info is at: http://www.okanogansheriff.org/
ReplyDeleteTo read the calls to Okanogan County dispatch, click on:
Sheriff/Police Log
To see who's been arrested and put in jail, click on:
Jail Booking Log
For more questions, call Sheriff Frank Rogers (he knows the meaning of "public information"):
509-422-7183
Sue wrote this comment, and puts the "News of Record" in the MV News.
I like the thought behind NOT publishing the names of those who have been charged but not yet convicted. It takes me back to discussions years ago in media ethics class. I wonder how many journalists still pause to consider these quaint notions.
ReplyDeleteWell....the newspapers policy is clear enough. One question. Has anyone been indicted? I can name alot of instances where people have been arrested and NOT proven guilty. In my OWN family. This angers me very much...(I secretly think you knew it would!) lol....and why is everyone always so quick to label people "bad?" You've only heard one side of the story so far.
ReplyDeletei had no idea that there were still journalists who would refuse to print names until said people were convicted of a crime. All the way back east here in Athens, Ohio, this is an ethic that our local papers (The Athens messenger & the Athens news- which by the way, prides itself on being an "alternative" newspaper) sadly lack.
ReplyDeleteIt seems today that anything is fodder for articles, with no concern about holding back. I'm glad that I'm hearing of one paper that still has the ethics (or just plain common sense) to do it.
I believe the policy of most newspapers is to publish names except for minors. If it is already public information (above) then it should be published.
ReplyDelete