I see that your police reports are starting to name names. I guess they call it shaming. By publishing these reports the Hub is agreeing with the practice. First of all these people have been charged and not convicted. Secondly how can we be assured that all names are being published. Would the police publish the name of a child of a fellow officer? We can’t even be sure they would be charged. Second of all there are lots of Grandmas and Grandpas out there who will also be shamed and that’s not a nice thing to do. I would encourage that the Hub stop publishing these names. - Bill Moses, Owen Sound
The police make that call first. We publish media releases from local police departments, and if there are names, we have a choice to make.
Shaming has very little impact on addicts, but it can be a motivator for young first offenders.
If drivers are prohibited, as well as impaired, there are other considerations.
I speak as the daughter of an alcoholic - lives can be saved if people in the circle of someone with a suspended licence know when that person is not to be driving.
We don't know if they are all published, it is true, and we don't know if these people will ultimately be convicted. The Owen Sound Hub aims to build community and look for solutions - we may be wrong in these particular cases. But as editor I'm willing to take that chance and err on the side of public safety.
We have lost too many already. - Anne Finlay-Stewart, Editor