A Mugshot or Booking Shot as there sometimes referred too are used by the police as a photographic portrait taken after someone is arrested by the police. The purpose of a Mugshot is to allow the authorities to have a photographic record of the person arrested for future references. It also enables investigators and victims to identify the arrested criminal. Most mug shots are two-part, with one side-view photo, and one front-view.
The Mugshot was invented by Allan Pinkerton a famous US detective, he first used these photographs to put them on wild west wanted posters which would be distributed and put around places for the public to see and help find the criminal who was on the run.
By 1870 he had the largest collection of Mugshots in the whole of the United States. Before computer technology was invented the accused had to hold a sign which had their details written on such as: name, date and other relevant information. All Mugshots taken in the United States can be accessed by anyone under the freedom of information act.
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