Printing Accusations

England and Wales may be on to something pertaining to the accusation against alleged criminals that so cover our newspapers and TV news stories. At present, there are no restrictions in those countries (and in most of the rest of the world) on naming criminal case defendants who are over 18 years old. But because of the growing number of false accusations of rape in those two countries, a proposed coalition there has a new standard- No naming an accused of rape, but rather naming only the convicted. What a breath of fresh air that would be if the same standard applied for all crimes everywhere. I have long spoken against printing accusations as an infringement of basic civil rights.

We live in the age of irresponsible reportage and reportage based on ratings and sensation rather than for necessity. So many lives have been ruined by false accusations published or broadcast in the mediums that at times a person falsely accuses another in order to bribe or extract gain from them or from the publication of the accusation for which media sources open the door. In the case of rape, on average less than 10 % of all rape accusations end in a conviction for the crime.

The other 90 percent, the innocent parities currently are subjected to their names and accusations about them published. That's 90% of the innocent accused having their lives ruined by accusation. Even when proven innocent, their lives in the community and beyond are forever destroyed. No retraction of a false accusation story will ever restore the integrity to the person accused. Once printed there will always be a large percentage of readers or viewers who will think the innocent party is a rapist because the accused name was associated with the story.

I have seen cases here of teachers I have known in my school system who were ruined by a false accusation (later retracted after found baseless) from a student that a teacher or other school employee had a sexual relationship with the student. Media reports of it branded the innocent teachers with a scarlet letter that chased them from teaching in the community and a normal life here. Moist were forced to leave the state in search of normality. How does one recapture respect when his or her picture is plastered on the front page of a newspaper with the word "Rapist" underneath? It is impossible.

I think society would be better served (and journalism improved) in protecting the rights of those accused, so that they are not the victims of guilt by accusation or implication. If the standard were to print the story after convicted instead of before, that might be achieved and frivolous accusations would subside dramatically. Fairness should be the guiding standard, not titillation of the audience.