All photos sourced from www.thesmokinggun.com

Crime doesn’t pay, or so we’re told. Whether the other cliche ‘no such thing as bad publicity’ is in direct contradiction to that is up for debate…
You could ask Winona Ryder or Eminem, you could ask Gary Glitter…

What’s certainly true, is that if you’re a celebrity or a particularly outstanding outlaw – and if you get your collar felt and get photographed by the cops – that mugshot is going to circulate the web and is quite likely to haunt your name forever more.

To truly capitalise on this myth-making, legacy shaping ‘publicity event’ (yeah the glass has to be half full), there are some simple tips which should be followed carefully if possible.

Wear presentable attire before perpetrating your deed

Casual wear is preferrential to workwear.

Evening wear could even suggest class and sophistication

Try to remain focussed and engage the lens

Drunk? …flee, sober up, change and then hand yourself in.

Don’t over-do the doe eyes – defiance rocks!

OK, maybe looking away is cool if you’re being defiant.

Avoid orange, its association with prisonwear conveys guilt.

Mugshots are for life! why not truly express yourself?

Don’t over-do it though! (or sniff aerosols – very bad for you)

Or, if you’re really that defiant, just make up your own rules!