Should We Print Names of Arrested?
It’s been a long-standing policy for this newspaper to print the names of everyone arrested in the Park Cities for alleged public intoxication or allegedly driving while intoxicated. One such person recently pleaded with me not to print her name. So, what do you all think of this policy?
Wouldn’t it be public information anyway? Personally, if they are residents in the neighborhood, maybe an embarrassing picture for their neighbors to see and them to feel shame for would help them to think about what they do. Okay, maybe not but I was trying to be more of the “glass half full” type.
If it’s information that’s readily available to the public through traditional channels, I think it’s fair game to print. Of course, if it’s me one day…..
It is public information and the paper serves the community at large, not the whims of individuals.
@JustAnOpinion007 assumes the accusation is evidence of guilt: “an embarrassing picture . . . would help them to think about what they do.” Move to another country, 007, if that’s your view. And for God’s sake, recuse yourself if you’re ever asked to serve on a jury in this country.
Sure, an arrest is public record, but it’s still only an accusation. Printing the names of people arrested will certainly raise the paper’s viewership and provide more gossip fodder for all the “prayer” chains around here. But it will come at the expense of people who are in fact not guilty. They, and their spouses and children, will be irrevocably stigmatized and damaged by the revelation of an arrest — an arrest which is evidence of nothing.
Those twitchy folks out there who are itching to know who, among their neighbors, has been arrested can look it up themselves. Or pick up a tabloid at Tom Thumb for a quick fix.
If you are going to publish the arrest and allegation, shouldn’t you also print the end result, ie: guilty or innocent verdict? The arrest is just the first sentence of the story, so if that’s the only thing you publish it does seem more like a scandal rag, not a journalistic endeavor.
Since they are printing them already, I don’t think continuing to do so will “raise the paper’s viewership”.
That said, I’m wondering why just these arrests get such special attention? I personally don’t think any of them need to be printed–I don’t see the great public service, but it could cause some additional personal damage. I’d prefer to let the law judge and then hand out the punishments as the system is designed.
But is it that big a deal either way?
I do not believe the names of those arrested should be published. Yes, this is public information and if someone wants to know they can search the Dallas County website. Public humiliation should not be your domain and that is what this would amount to. Those involved will feel shame enough I am sure.
I’m with kmom…what’s your responsibility regarding follow up?
I haven’t liked that policy since you all started it about 7 or so years ago. Is it an adult who should know better or a kid of legal age who made a mistake? And I do think there’s a double standard. Why humiliate people?
I think it just promotes salacious gossip which has to be just about the last thing the Park Cities’ needs… Kmom, Another Mother, & Jessica are right– the arrest is no indicator of guilt, anyway. If someone is really interested in this as “public information”, let him/her find the information on their own.
Agree with “JustAFact”
So, the name of a person arrested in the Park Cities can be found on a search of a Dallas County website? Can someone deliniate the steps please?
http://dallascounty.org/criminalBackgroundSearch/
You can look up anyone that has been arrested in Dallas county. Now, you have to know who you are looking for.
Hey guys it doesn’t really matter what you say here…. Dan Koller and his rude and inconsiderate team of writers and staff do their best to be nosy and threaten the people of this community with their writing….. It was just an HP lady who hit several cars in HP village while intoxicated… No reason to ruin her reputation for you to sell an extra paper!
PC People is still a news organization and should not cater to special treatment requests. All or none.
The ‘rest of the story’ is the better tale.
Follow the arrests, the disposition and who the lawyers are who handle them. i’m afraid your readers will be appalled at the number of drunk drivers and public intoxicants who get a pass at the UP/HP courts b/c they have the ‘go to’ lawyers. Then compare the number of HP/UP residents’ convictions/dismissals with non-residents.
Publicintegrity: No clue how to do that.
@Another mother 23, you are so right. There is absolutely nothing wrong with what she did. Just crusin thru the village, tipsy and hitting cars. Wonder what she was hitting them with? What if she had hit your car? Or what if she’d hit somebody?
I live only a few blocks from Highland Park Village and walk or bike there often so would love to know who got drunk and decided to drive around, if only so I know who to look out for. I think the name of the restaurant that presumably over-served her would be good to know, too.
I also don’t consider Dan or PCP staff in general to be rude or inconsiderate. I’m sure others disagree.
Another Mother 23’s comment might be the silliest thing I have ever heard second only to the strip clubs on Hillcrest argument against the booze ordinance.
Hilarious! Another Mother has to be somebody pulling our legs!
Trust me, it isnt silly….. Talk about a joke… do you not realize how rude the articles in this paper can be? this poor woman made a mistake…. chances are you’ve made a few mistakes you wouldn’t like posted in the local paper…
@ Another Mother 23 – please agree that you were in fact joking when you commented that it was “just an HP lady who hit several cars in HP Village while intoxicated” – PLEASE agree.
Another Mother-locking your keys in your car is a mistake. A mom playing inebriated bumper cars in HP Village is something I’d like to know more about. Were there kids in the car? How many times do we let our kids go to dinner with our neighbors? And…in her defense, maybe she wasn’t drunk. Maybe with the heat and/or meds and/or a glass of wine…
Another Mother, Totally agree if that were the case, but, how would you feel if you had a long day and were going to pick up food at the village and your brakes went out hitting a trailer hitch which caused a series. No restaurants would be overserving. Not cruising around the village tipsy. Issues resolved with all others. Thank you Maggie and Virgogirl, UP Dad, JustAfact and k mom. If you have ever been in this situation and panicked you would have a little compassion. I never had and it was not fun! I agree, it can cause more grief in a persons life that needed.
@anon- if the brakes had gone out and the trailer hitch broke, etc, you wouldn’t care if your name was printed. You have nothing to hide. If you’re tipsy and cruising the village hitting cars, that’s a different story. I’m not saying they should print names but, like we teach our kids, there are consequences for our actions.
“…hitting a trailer hitch whick caused a series…I never had and it was not fun!” – announomous
What? I am pretty sure that “annonomous” above would fail the sobriety checkpoint if it were required before blogging. I guess we’ll know who made the request in a few hours.
Just as an FYI. It is Another Mother 23 making these comments. Not me, Another Mother! I don’t like the confusion here.
And Blogging, I agree. I can’t understand a thing annon was trying to say.
Your exactly right. Not worried anymore because I know the facts. Thanks!
@Another Mother 23; Stand by my statement, the silliest thing I’ve heard in a long time. This woman did not just ding a door….she was intoxicated and ran into some cars in the village.
@”annonomous”; What? Incoherent sentences do not help this irresponsible woman’s cause.
Feel necessary to add my support for Dan Koller and the whole group of contributors here. All nice people, every one of them. @Another mother 23 you shouldn’t drink and blog, it’s not illegal but it sure is rude and annoying.
Not sure if last message went through, but you are right @ not worrying on publishing the name and accurate that one shouldn’t drink & drive. In my defense, I was pulling into the village where anthropology is locate. If you’ve entered this way you will all know how tight it can be. I struck an unattended vehicles trailir hitch Should have not gotten upset with the officer. Thanks for understanding.
Agreed. Very nice staff
If there is a story connected to the arrest and should be exposed, then by all means it would be in print. But for getting pulled over, private domestic matters, and other misdemeanors, let’s not feed the gossip mill thats churning enough as it is around here. If not, why would ABC network want to do a series based on the bubble?
Sorry, but “hitting an unattended vehicle “trailir” ” does not explain alleged public intoxication or allegedly driving while intoxicate. This entire damage control outreach; first to Koller to kill the information and now if “annonomous/Anonymous” is the woman on this blog is ridiculous. People who have nothing to worry about and did nothing wrong do not do this kind of stuff, IJS.
I made a mistake and as with any wrongdoing have consequences to take care of so I hope this blog can stop and move on to another issue. Just resolving my own. Thx
I’m more disturbed by the morons who have their guns stolen from unlocked cars. The paper should print the names of these stooges so we know who they are.
Are these arrests interesting? You bet. That’s why the National Enquirer sells. “Inquiring” — do you suppose “prurient” is too strong? — minds want to know. But the gossiping greyhounds who gallop around this neighborhood will make sure their children are “in the know,” too.
That is what most concerns me about printing the names of arrested people. Why take down an entire family, and that’s precisely what happens, because one member has been accused — and let me again underscore: accused — of an offense?
Moreover, the line this paper draws in the sand regarding who gets their name framed by the marquee lights is a bit arbitrary. Anyone who is arrested here by an agency other than UP PD or HP DPS is not subject to the same humiliation.
Rock on, Scarlet A prayer-chainers.. But don’t set a place for me at your salacious table.
anonymous-I’ll take you at your word for resolving your own issues. It just sounds like you were doing damage control rather than resolving anything. I can’t throw stones…believe me.
I wish you well.
Dan Koller and team are fair and reasonable. Let’s just be very clear on this point. Don’t drink & blog.