When footage of criminals appears on TV shows, often the faces are pixelated to prevent identification. As an aid to rehabilitation, I'd like to see a weekly TV show with associated website wherein pixels are removed at the rate of say $10 per square, only allowing the criminal to retain their privacy by paying monies to relevant charities or individuals; these sums to be agreed on a sliding scale dependent on the severity of the offence. Not all criminals are punished anyway and this would only work if they have been caught on tape but if even a percentage are handled in this manner, it would be some form of deterrent.

Refusal to pay leads to arrest and it may be that the threat of exposure unless sums are paid may cause perpetrators to ask themselves whether their crimes did pay after all.
-- Nelipot, Mar 29 2010

//When footage of criminals appears on TV shows//
when they're being led from the courtroom after a guilty verdict, or when they're in jail after having been convicted ?
-- FlyingToaster, Mar 29 2010


Neither. The only time it has to be pixelated is before the guilty verdict, as before that time they are assumed innocent.

There is however a catch 22 to videos where the person is unidentified. They would have to say that it was them in order to complain, and therefore get caught, be found guilty and then the pixels would not be needed.
-- marklar, Mar 29 2010


Stick with the heads on spikes thing. The re-offending rate is acceptably low.
-- 8th of 7, Mar 29 2010


In defence of these charges of grand larceny I'd like to submit that my activities paid handsomely, and as crime doesn't pay, ipso facto selecto, they therefore were not criminal.
-- rcarty, Mar 29 2010


The actual saying is "Crime doesn't pay taxes".
-- FlyingToaster, Mar 30 2010



random, halfbakery