Wanted poster
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A wanted poster (or wanted sign) is a poster distributed to let the public know of a person whom authorities wish to apprehend. They generally include a picture of the person, either a photograph when one is available or of a facial composite image produced by the police.
Description
The poster will usually include a description of the wanted person(s) and the crime(s) for which they are sought. There is typically a set monetary reward offered to whoever catches the wanted criminal that is advertised on the poster. Wanted posters are commonly produced by a police department or other public government bureaus intended for public display such as on a physical
Electronic billboards
In 2007, the
Bounty
Wanted posters for particularly notorious fugitives frequently offer a bounty for the capture of the person, or for a person who can provide information leading to such capture. Bounties provided an incentive for citizens to aid law enforcement, either by providing information, or by catching the criminal themselves. More modern wanted posters may also include images of the fugitive's fingerprints. People who, as a profession, chase wanted individuals with the intent to collect their bounties are referred to as bounty hunters.
Images
Composite images for use in wanted posters can be created with various methods, including:
- E-FIT: Electronic Facial Identification Technique via computer
- Identikit
- PhotoFIT: Photographic Facial Identification Technique
Dead or alive
Historically, some wanted posters offering a reward contained the phrase "dead or alive". Thus one would get a reward for either bringing the person or their
In the media
Wanted posters have been used by media sources to cast prominent figures as wild west criminals. Popular examples of this include the September 4 1939 edition of the British newspaper the
Famous wanted posters
See also
- All-points bulletin
- America's Most Wanted
- Clarendon (typeface)
- Most wanted list
- Mug shot publishing industry
- Pittura infamante
- Rewards for Justice Program
References
- ^ "Opening a Clear Channel The FBI on Digital Billboards". Federal Bureau of Investigation.
- ^ "Catching Fugitives in the Information Age". Federal Bureau of Investigation, 24 Dec. 2014. Web. 25 Mar. 2015.
- ^ Ferranti, Seth (2016-12-14). "The History of the Most Wanted Poster". Huffington Post. Retrieved 2018-08-20.
- History. Retrieved 8 May 2018.
- ^ Trimble, Marshall (April 2006). "I read somewhere that no legal agency ever put out wanted posters that stated, 'Dead or Alive.' What's the truth?". True West. Archived from the original on 2017-03-06. Retrieved 8 May 2018.
- ^ "Wanted Poster for Hitler". The British Library.
- ^ "Wanted by the FBI: Usama Bin Laden". Federal Bureau of Investigation. Archived from the original on 2011-02-23.
External links
- Wanted Posters Collection. Yale Collection of Western Americana, Beinecke Rare Book and Manuscript Library.