 What is the danger of using certain pictures to represent people in court?
Some blamed the BBC, some blamed those in Savile's immediate circle, but others blamed a simple error of human judgment. We know that paedophiles, murderers and other violent criminals come in many shapes and sizes. If we knew nothing about their criminal history, some of their photos might even appear attractive. But the idea that someone's features betray their character is something rooted deep within us; it's the reason why certain photos perform well on dating apps, or why trustworthy-looking politicians might rack up votes. A recent paper, published by Xiaolin Wu and Xi Zhang of Shanghai's Jiao Tong University, claims to be the first to use machine learning and neural networks to attempt a fully automated inference of criminality from facial images, removing prejudice from the equation and testing the validity of our gut feelings. Through a study of 1,856 images ("controlled for race, gender, age and facial expression") they claim to have established the validity of "automated, face-induced inference on criminality, despite the historical controversy surrounding this line of enquiry." In other words, they believe that they've found a relationship between looking like a criminal and actually being one. All of Greek society, it was claimed, could benefit from this skill: it could assist with choosing an employee, a slave or a spouse, while its inherent vagueness made it intriguing to philosophers and useful for scientists who bent the theories to support their own beliefs. Theories of physiognomy, however, would persist beyond the Renaissance.
 The pictures can elicit negative or guilty connotations, which can influence a jury or the public before a trial.
 The pictures can cause further emotional distress for families who have been affected by a perpetrator.  The pictures can elicit negative or guilty connotations, which can influence a jury or the public before a trial.  The pictures may have been edited in order to make the defendant look more guilty of criminal behavior.  The pictures may not represent what the person look like during the time they were accused of committing the crime.