How do the press find out about arrests?

monkey_boy · 5 Apr 2012 at 21:17

Hi All,

A bit of a random question - How do the press find out about arrests made by the police and/or court dates set for offences? There's a bloke round here that is rumoured to have been taken in by the police and hasn't been seen for a few days, which if true, suggests that he's been charged by now. How would the press find out who what why and where?

AGD · 5 Apr 2012 at 21:19

Because the police tip them off. Sometimes for money.

Derek W · 5 Apr 2012 at 21:19

search for 'stockhausen' in this forum, his topics will let you know how the press find these things out

RomanNose · 5 Apr 2012 at 21:21

You do the hokey pokey and you turn yourself around
That what it's all about.

Begbie · 5 Apr 2012 at 21:25

Investigation.

PardonTheWait · 5 Apr 2012 at 21:26

I worked at a local newspaper and the journalists rang a police line that you ring up and sit and listen to and it pretty much tells you everything that's gone on. It's a recording.

Narj · 5 Apr 2012 at 21:27

http://www.judiciary.gov.uk/ ?

arknor · 5 Apr 2012 at 21:31

mystic meg tells them

Soundood · 5 Apr 2012 at 22:04

as being charged/conviction is public knowledge (unless rules against by a judge) it can be accessed via online or by a phone call.

sitting here tommorow, if i was looking for a person, who was maybe charged and remanded, i would first try the local cop shop, then the local courts, then prison service.

he/she would be located in under 30 mins.

PondPikey · 5 Apr 2012 at 22:07

PianoBasher said:
http://www.judiciary.gov.uk/ ?

What an interesting site! Read the judges remarks on some of the cases, Good reading!

D.P. · 5 Apr 2012 at 22:17

The 'journalists' actually commit the crime, that is the only way they would know.

Werewolf · 5 Apr 2012 at 22:18

PondPikey said:
What an interesting site! Read the judges remarks on some of the cases, Good reading!

Usually very informative and often completely different to what is reported in the press.

Meridian · 5 Apr 2012 at 22:28

Werewolf said:
Usually very informative and often completely different to what is reported in the press.

Surely not? Next you'll be suggesting that the news media are more interested in slanting the news their way than telling the whole truth.

M

Soundood · 5 Apr 2012 at 23:02

Meridian said:
Surely not? Next you'll be suggesting that the news media are more interested in slanting the news their way than telling the whole truth.

M

and nothing but the truth?

Castiel · 5 Apr 2012 at 23:05

Because we don't live in China and have a (currently at least) open justice system......

Meridian · 5 Apr 2012 at 23:06

soundood said:
and nothing but the truth?

Oh no, it's easy to convince everyone to think the way you do by telling nothing but the truth. You just have to be careful of which bits you tell. It's the "whole truth" which is the dangerous bit.

M

Undeterred · 6 Apr 2012 at 06:05

The Most important court decisions are reported here:

http://www.bailii.org/

Daily crown court listings of defendants are listed here:

http://www.courtserve.net/courtlists/current/crown/indexv2crowndailies.htm

Von Smallhausen · 6 Apr 2012 at 09:50

Police control rooms are frequently contacted by the press and there is a pre recorded voicebank with incidents and arrests of note. Also, all forces have a press office.

Believe it or not, not all cops are bent and sell information to the press.

Youstolemyname · 6 Apr 2012 at 10:27

Von Smallhausen said:
Police control rooms are frequently contacted by the press and there is a pre recorded voicebank with incidents and arrests of note. Also, all forces have a press office.

Believe it or not, not all cops are bent and sell information to the press.

This. I worked in the media for several years and the local police forces have press offices that liaise with journalists on cases. That's how the mugshots appear in the papers etc. On the bigger (e.g. murder) cases they call press conferences.

For reporting post-event, journalists will be assigned to go sit in court on the days big trials are taking place.

It looks good if the police are seen to be doing their job, hence them releasing information to the media about arrests etc. It is deemed as being in public interest and therefore can be shared.

Meridian · 6 Apr 2012 at 17:12

The whole point of Habeus Corpus is that arrests, bail hearings etc, are public information. It normally takes a court order for the police or courts NOT to reveal names in such cases. Lack of press interest is the most common reason why they aren't reported.

M