Not all mug shots at jail look like a mugging

The famous and infamous alike enter and exit in a single-file line at one of the state's busiest photography studios — but the results probably don't make it into the family album.

Arguably, mug shots taken at a local jail vie with driver's license photos for some of the worst pictures ever taken.

More than 16,000 people had their photos taken when booked into the Salt Lake County Jail last year. An average of 40 booking photos are taken during each eight-hour shift. Processing sergeant George Tonga said most of them are decent, but occasionally there are some who "try to be funny or smart."

"We usually process them quickly," Tonga said.

He said those being booked are asked to stand on a set of footprints and stare directly at the camera, "but sometimes they make a face between then and when we snap it."

Unlike school pictures, there are usually no retakes of a prison mug shot. Retaking a picture assigns it a new number, which complicates the process, Tonga said.

The booking mug shot usually isn't done by appointment, so there is a "come as you are" appearance standard. This leads to some outlandish hairdos, sometimes inappropriate clothing, visible tattoos and piercings, blood-shot eyes and sometimes some bumps and bruises received prior to being booked.

The only standard on mug shots is that they are "an accurate depiction" of the individual being booked, said Salt Lake County Sheriff's Sgt. Paul Jaroscak.

"We wish the people wouldn't mug for the shot, but they do," he said. "We can't tell them to do otherwise."

That appeared the case for popular computer retailer Dell Schanze, who was recently booked and released on charges stemming from his allegedly brandishing a weapon in an altercation with some Draper residents.

"The picture of Super Dell is certainly goofy, but there's no question it is him," Jaroscak said. "It's sad for him because a booking photo doesn't go away, it's there for life. If he decides to run for president someday, that photo will pop up."

Years after the taking, several famous faces including O.J. Simpson, Michael Jackson, Wynona Judd, Nick Nolte and others are still getting guffaws. They're probably wishing it would all go away.

However, former Salt Lake County Mayor Nancy Workman could frame her booking mug for home.

Showing up with neatly coiffed hair, dressed in Sunday best and an American flag pin adorning her lapel, her pleasant smile belied the fact she faced charges of financial wrongdoing.

She was acquitted on all charges.

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E-mail: wleonard@desnews.com