Publishing teen’s name unnecessary

I am distressed over The Gazette's decision to use the name of a juvenile accused of a crime in a June 5 story on its website, 'Cedar Rapids teenager facing multiple felony charges.”

As a former journalist, and, in the spirit of full disclosure, a former Gazette employee, the ethical decision-making process in this case mystifies me.

Most ethical guidelines, including those by the Poynter Institute's Al Tompkins, advise balancing the usefulness of naming a juvenile charged with a crime against the potential harm, as well as considering any harm not disclosing a juvenile's name might do.

There would be no danger to the public in withholding her name, as she's already been arrested, and even if she hadn't, she was in a residential treatment facility. The harm to her seems self-evident. By naming her and disclosing her illness, The Gazette doubly compromised her privacy.

The Associated Press story on the same incident, which ran on the KCRG-TV9 website, 'Iowa Girl Accused of Attacking Facility Staffer,” did not name the girl and even bore a note that the AP generally does not name juveniles accused of crimes.

If she were charged as an adult, the choice to name her would make more sense, but the article made clear that the Buchanan County prosecutors have not yet decided whether to charge her as an adult.

I urge The Gazette to choose a policy similar to the AP's and to refrain from using the girl's name in future articles.

Jamie Kelly

Cedar Rapids