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Before the Mugshot

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27/08/2013

BBC Radio 4 - Before the Mugshot

Sarah O'Connell tells the story behind a mugshot - the life history that led to crime.

In 2008, a photo appeared in a south London newspaper of a young man robbing a cash and carry. Sarah O'Connell tells the story of his life and asks: what went wrong?

In 2008 a grainy CCTV image appeared in south London newspapers of a young man robbing a cash and carry. Sarah O'Connell tells the story behind the photo.

Everyone has seen similar pictures - of a surly young man who has committed a serious criminal offence. Yet as a society we have not been very successful at stopping them from doing so.

Sarah takes that CCTV picture, and one of Aaron as a baby, and explores what went wrong with Aaron's life in the gap between the two pictures which resulted in him committing a serious, violent criminal offence before he had yet turned 18.

In the programme Aaron himself discusses his life with candour - from his family background to his motivation for committing criminal offences. Sarah also speaks to members of his family, teachers and mentors to give a rich picture of how a life can fall apart - and perhaps what we might do better in the future.

Producer: Giles Edwards.

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