In the news

^ Quite right.

This is one of my least favourite traits of the press. It places judgement, feeds in to crude stereo-types, provokes the readership, and acts as a qualifier, implying some people are better/more blameless/more worthy of sympathy than others.

Plus it seems so unfair that no matter how long ago someone did the thing they are alleged to have done and/or how drastically their lives might have changed since then, they will forever be reminded of their past.

My favourite is when they also include the value of the houses owned by the various people in the story. "Speaking outside his £400,000 townhouse, Mr Cooper said..."