Most photographs taken when a person is arrested are not released to the public until after there has been a conviction of the crime for which the person has been arrested for. There is nothing illegal about publishing one's mug shot prior to a conviction for the crime he or she has been arrested for.In essence, one who has been arrested has a criminal complaint filed against him or her which is a public record and there is nothing improper about that. The same holds true for the mug shot.Good question.Â