public humiliation as punishment

A new reality show, on a Denver station, shows pictures of men convicted of soliciting prostitution. Denver's cable access station aired Johns' TV on Thursday. They're not the only ones:

Many newspapers across the country routinely publish the photos of men convicted of soliciting prostitution, among other crimes, and several other cities have already started TV shows featuring johns: "BUSTED" in Orlando, Fla. ; "Shame TV" in Charlotte, N.C.; and in Calgary, Alberta, the "Calgary Ho Down."

The Calgary show actually appears to be a web page by a citizens' activist group, which has received coverage by local stations rather than a government sponsored action. I couldn't find more on the Orlando show referred to by the San Francisco Chronicle, but the City of Orlando does post pictures of people who have been arrested, but not yet convicted, of certain offenses including prostitution on a page titled Busted. Charlotte's Shame TV is a real television show, airing on the government channel.

The ACLU is working in Denver to try to stop the broadcasts, claiming that the family members of those shown are the ones who end up being punished, and that the publicity as punishment exceeds the penalty described by the law. Here's the official word from Denver's Mayor Wellington E. Webb, who introduced the program in his final State of the City address. The pictures will also be shown on the City's website.

Denver and Charlotte's Shame TV aren't breaking new ground. Kansas City has broadcast John TV since 1997. Still, I can't help but find myself agreeing with a columnist from Little Rock, Arkansas, who had the following warning when a similar program was proposed there at the end of 2000: "I say to all of you who think this is a good idea, BEWARE! You might be surprised at who's face may appear on such a program." Of course, she was talking about some local politicians.