The Slammer: Mug-Shot Tabloids Spread Across The South

The tabloid — with names such as "Cellmates," "Jailbirds," "Just Busted" — shows mug shots of those arrested every week in different cities around the country. In Arkansas, The Slammer sells 7,000 copies a week. But law enforcement says it doesn't help solve cases — it's just voyeuristic.


This video is part of "Southword," an ongoing multimedia collaboration between NPR and Oxford American magazine.

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• the slammer
• debbie elliott
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[wmg111]

This is appalling.

The western world has become a giant freak show made possible by the abuse of the right of freedom of speech.

Every one of those people should sue those tabloids.

They have all been charged, but not convicted.

This publicity could very well affect their cases, which would then make it impossible to guarantee an impartial jury of their peers.

That's perverting the course of justice isn't it?

[jul9cuz]

Don't you know that most people that get arrested are actually innocent.

[manchester2000ful]

@nickybabyy24 Wd you want your life destroyed over some silly crap. Posession of a minute amount of mj. What about mistaken identity?. Calm down?????? One man was on the Dr. Drew show and it ruined his life. He was on his way to becoming a well known actor. Over a tiny bit of cocaine. He was sentenced to 2 months in jail. Did his time. His credit, unhirable, etc. etc., His life is now in ruin. U shd think before you speak. How do u know this cd not happen to you?

[manchester2000ful]

@jul9cuz This should be illegal. I agree with you. There are also more innocent people in jail than the guilty ones.

[todddoom]

I wish we had the Slammer where I live. Hopefully we will soon. I love seeing stupid tattooed criminals being made fun of. I loved seeing Paris Hillton in jail. You people that don't like the slammer are telling me you don't like seeing Paris Hilton, Linsey Lohan and Bernie Maydof being made fun of? 

[HisEmptyHouse]

We are a prison nation - there are over 2 million people in our prisons, often for very asinine charges. That we take entertainment in incarceration is sick, and a symptom of just how sick our society is.

[MultiGreenstar]

Who ever setup the interview shot of the slammer owner totally did a horrible job on that shot. He is in a bad position and looking in the opposite direction of the camera! LOL Keep practicing, you will figure it out. :)

[nickybabyy24]

it's the print version of cops... calm down

[bewawolf19]

If a picture of me was on that, I would sue the heck out of them for usign a picture of me without permission from me. There are better ways to find if someone is a crinimal than some stupid magizine that makes fun of people.

[Urquelleightsix]

Well I know someone who was in one and they were convicted. Here's the deal all this information is available online anyway, if you know cell mate number or last name or first name at least in my state you can look up anybody's criminal record. So here's the solution don't do stupid stuff and get arrested.

[cobrompton]

I saw these things for the first time in Kansas City. Depressed the hell out of me. There goes the Republic!