FOX 5 Special: Mug Shot Magazine

ATLANTA (MyFOX ATLANTA) - A new Metro Atlanta publication lists the mug shots of everyone who has been arrested the previous week, no matter how big or how small the crime. But is it legal to print these mug shots of people who have not yet been proven guilty in a court of law?

Mug shots are the one photo most people would never want anyone to see. However, the "Just Busted" magazine publishes the mug shots of everyone who was arrested the previous week. Anyone can pick up the publication at their local convenience store.

The crimes listed range from open container violations to homicides. If you've been arrested in the north Georgia and Chattanooga areas, your mug shot is most likely in there.

April Ellis was featured on page two of a recent edition of the magazine. "I don't like it, I don't like it. It's embarrassing," Ellis said. "I had lied about a girlfriend, said she hit me, but she didn't."

Wanda Gillem started "Just Busted" in Chattanooga, Tennessee after she became a victim of a crime.

Gillem said she thought she knew her neighbor until her car ended up missing.

"Turns out, he stole my car and sold it for crack cocaine," Gillem said.

Gillem later learned her neighbor had stolen other cars in the past, so she started "Just Busted" to help others learn more about their neighbors.

In one year, distribution of the magazine has grown rapidly. The publication has gone from serving two counties to more than 50, including north Georgia.

"Its good to know the things going on around you, know your neighbors, know what's going on in your community, know the criminals around you," said editor Matthew Deglopper.

Deglopper said he truly believes more people were behaving themselves just to keep their names out of the "Just Busted."

"It's cutting back on DUIs and other crime. It's acting as a deterrent," Deglopper said.

Major Doug Duncan of the Bartow County Sheriff's Office said he wasn't sure if the magazine was acting as a deterrent, but he did say the paper can help keep track of criminals in neighboring counties.

The magazine has a most wanted section, a page for missing persons and it lists sex offenders.

"Anytime we can get sex offender information out, it's a good idea. People hear there's a sex offender in their neighborhood but they don't know what they look like," said Maj. Duncan.

Not everyone is a friend of the paper. There's already an anti-"Just Busted" Facebook page and there are others who say by charging $1.00 per issue, the paper is profiting off the misfortune of others."

Everything in the magazine including faces, names and charges is a matter of public record. The words "innocent until proven guilty" are written on every page.

Still, defense attorney Cory Yager called it sensationalism.

"Whether legal or not, this is over the line of ethical," Yager said.

The attorney said the paper put people in a false light. "Some of these crimes, public indecency could be something like urinating in public after having too much to drink, not exposes yourself in public for indecent purposes," Yager said.

Yager said there was also the question of those who were listed in the magazine but were later found not guilty. "These papers don't come back and say, 'Yes, Johnny was exonerated. Johnny didn't do the crime.' Johnny's picture is now out there forever," said Yager.

Then again, for those like April Ellis who find themselves in print there may be an upside.

"It taught me a lesson," Ellis said. "To not lie to the police."

There are similar papers in other parts of the country. A lawsuit has been filed against one publication in Nebraska for invasion of privacy for commercial purposes.