Does your area have a busted newspaper? If you’re not sure what it is, continue reading. In this post, you’ll discover everything you need to know about it and why it’s important.
Last Updated: October 17th, 2021
About Busted Newspaper
Busted Newspaper is a paper that’s commonly found in convenience stores that publishes information, including photos, of criminals. Hence the term “busted”.
The crime rate is high in many areas throughout the country. It’s important fo the safety of you and your family to know potential threats around where you live.
The Importance of Awareness
Nowadays, being aware of the current and important information around us can be a bit challenging. Although there are news and current events being reported daily or by the hour, these many bits of information can be difficult to process and remember.
Different types of media, such as the Internet, TV, radio, and newspaper, are all at our disposal when we crave for new information. All of these are produced and targeted to raise awareness, share information, and educate the public about this and that.
However, with tons of information and how they are being presented by these media could sometimes bombard or overwhelm us, the receiver on the other end. Information overload could hamper our understanding and therefore we become more prone to misinterpreting information.
It would then be best if certain types of information are presented in a direct and streamlined manner, especially if they are about serious matters like criminality. Crimes, these days, are on a steady upward trend, particularly in areas where chaos has been part of the culture.
Since not all areas or households have Internet or TV and not everyone is as good in filtering or selecting important information from the noise, some cities and towns have decided to make their people aware of local crimes in a simpler and more direct manner.
Is There Really Such A Thing?
Yes, busted newspapers exist. This type of newspaper are actually produced to show or display the mugshots of caught and arrested criminals.
Busted newspapers bear different kinds of names depending on where they are published. Moreover, the contents – the mugshots, which are considered public documents – of these publications are also based on the location of the crime.
The main objectives of busted newspapers are to discourage criminals from doing their deeds and to raise awareness among local citizens about the criminals that belong in their city or town. These newspapers directly and bluntly display the mugshots row by row and page per page with less advertisements and other contents.
How It Started
The busted newspapers is under the so-called mugshot publishing industry. This particular industry is covered by the tabloid journalism niche in the US.
Busted newspaper publishing companies print out or publish the booking information and mugshots of persons arrested by law enforcement. Moreover, these newspapers are published in local and multiple jurisdictions through tabloid papers and search engine websites.
The companies believe that by publishing busted newspapers, they are helping in lessening the crime rate. This is because the information contained (or exposed) in busted newspapers are very discouraging for individuals and criminals.
The busted newspaper titled “Busted Paper” has been on sale in Twin Cities since 2009, based on the Twin Cities Daily Planet article post titled “”Busted Paper” and other mugshot magazines: Why they are—and will like remain—legal”. This article was written by Stephanie Fox in April 2013.
Nowadays, mugshots, booking photos, and arrest records are also available online in the form of search engine websites. There are Mugshots.com and BustedNewspaper.com, which are among the most popular websites on the subject today.
Where To Find
Busted newspapers are very cheap and convenient to find. The printed versions are usually available for a few dollars and are commonly being sold in convenience stores.
Anyone can purchase and get a copy of busted newspapers anytime and anywhere it’s convenient. Some are being published once in a month, while some are published bi-monthly or quarterly. It all depends on the publishing company and the locale.
Is It Even Legal To Publish Mugshots?
Based on the law, booking photos, mugshots, and arrest information are public records. In fact, they are posted and accessible in law enforcement websites.
Those data, documents, and information that are related to the conduct of government agencies are called public records. They are not confidential, which means they can be published, shared, or accessed by anyone upon due process.
This policy on public records upholds the rights of citizens to information. People have the right to know about and access public records for the purpose of awareness, knowledge sharing, and decision making. More importantly, the policy fosters transparency and good governance among locales.
Now, zooming into arrest information and mugshots, these crime-related information are also public records, which are vital to the functions of law enforcement agencies. Therefore, busted newspapers are legally allowed to publish mugshots and related information in their papers and websites.
The Good And The Bad
Like anything, there are good things and there are bad things.
The three primary aspects that are good about these newspapers are:
- Upholding the right of people to information
- Lessening the crime rate
- Making relevant crime information easily available via print and online.
People have the right to know about these important matters through a direct platform and format in doing so. Also, it raises awareness among citizens so that they could easily identify criminals in their communities.
It also contributes to lessening crimes because people are generally fearful of their information being published (or exposed). Also, it generates a sense of shame since getting one’s mugshot published on print and online is, in fact, shameful. Therefore, individuals who are about to commit a crime are discouraged to actually put their plans into action for fear of arrest, exposure, and shame.
On the flip side of the coin, there are three main negative aspects about busted newspapers. These include:
- Aspects of privacy
- Profiting of publishing companies from removal of information.
- Discrimination being received by people whose mugshots were published.
Some people say this information is breaching the privacy of criminals, since they are still private individuals after all. Also, there have been many issues regarding how publishing companies are profiting from the removal of mugshots, which seems unfair.
Finally, busted newspapers are being considered discriminatory since people who read these papers often remember the faces posted there and easily judge the people behind those mugshots.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is busted newspaper?
Busted Newspaper is a mugshot magazine. Mugshots are submitted through public record and then Busted published those already public records.
Is Busted newspaper reliable?
Busted Newspaper is reliable because it contains public records. Public records that have been documented based on real events.
Is Busted newspaper legal?
Busted Newspaper and other mugshot magazines are and will remain legal because they are not publishing private information. Mugshots and similar information is made public by the state.
Conclusion
We say it all the time, but the world has gotten out of control. The world is getting more and more overpopulated. With that many people, it’s no wonder crime is skyrocketing. It’s more important than ever to adopt a preparedness mindset. And the first step to becoming prepared it getting the right information. Information is power.
I hope this post helped you understand what a busted newspaper is. It might also be called a busted magazine in your area. Next time you’re at a convenience store or grocery store, check the magazine and newspaper section.
If you’re interested in learning more about homesteading and safety information, check out out post on the best homesteading books.
