Honolulu Police to Post DUI Mugshots
In an effort to reduce drunk driving, the Honolulu, Hawaii Police Department will be posting the photographs of those arrested for OUI on the department’s website. This controversial move is bound to draw support from anti-drunk driving groups and criticism from others, who will likely claim that posting the photographs constitutes an unwarranted invasion of privacy.
It is important to remember that the individuals depicted have only been arrested and not yet convicted. There is a big difference between an arrest and a DUI conviction. Posting photos of those not yet convicted of drunk driving appears to run contrary to the “innocent until proven guilty” concept of due process.
Police have always been allowed to post photographs of wanted persons in an effort to locate and identify them. Here, however, there is no legitimate law enforcement purpose associated with posting the photos. Instead, they are meant to publically embarrass the offenders and serve as a deterrent to future OUIs. The efficacy of this practice in reducing drunk driving incidents has yet to be determined.
