Faces of Crime: Rare 1900 New York City Criminal Mug Shots

Step back into the gritty streets of early 1900s New York City with this fascinating collection of rare police mug shots, preserved by the New York City Police Department (NYPD) and taken using the revolutionary Bertillon identification system.

Developed by French criminologist Alphonse Bertillon in the late 19th century, this method combined photography with precise body measurements and detailed notes to catalogue suspects before fingerprinting became the norm. These mug shots, some over 120 years old, are more than mere criminal records—they are raw, unfiltered portraits that capture the human faces behind the headlines of crime and survival.

The individuals shown include shoplifters, swindlers, forgers, pickpockets, and even young offenders caught up in petty crimes or elaborate scams. Each face—whether weary, defiant, or indifferent—tells a story of urban poverty, desperation, and the expanding reach of modern policing in America’s largest city.

These photos, sourced from the NYC Department of Records and Information Services, offer a rare and haunting glimpse into a hidden chapter of urban history—when mug shots were made on glass plates and justice walked in boots.

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Tags:
#crime #criminals #criminalhistory #historicalphotographs #vintagephotographs #rarephotos #rarephoto #history #historicalimages #vintagephoto #vintagephotos #vintagephotography #oldphotographs #oldphotos #vintagephotograph #oldphoto #oldphotos #oldphotographs #rarephotos #oldphotos #rarephoto #photos #historicalimages #historicalphotos #photographs #historicalfilm #history #historicalevents #newyork #americanhistory #usahistory #ushistory

Keywords:
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