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May 6, 2016

Wales' first offender mugshots


Cameras are a common tool for law enforcement today, but when Carmarthen prison governor George Stephens began to photograph suspects in 1858 the concept ...

was virtually unheard of, anywhere in the world. An early amateur photographer, he realised that keeping images of people's faces could combat the problem of convicts offending again under different names. His meticulous written and photographic records still survive in Carmarthen, and copies of some of the mugshots are displayed on the walls outside the former custody cells in Castle House. For more on this story, scan the relevant HistoryPoints QR codes on the door of Castle House (which is also the town's tourist information centre). Or click here