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I think a small point of showing the picture is to calm the community in a sense. “Hey stop pointing out the cashier at Walmart or guy at jiffy lube” But you are correct. Once someone grabs your picture from the arrest log and posts it on Facebook, you are a target and villain until proven innocent.
Best example of this is the Atlanta Olympics bomber case....they ruined that guy's life and he was completely innocent. >

Thats the dude they made a movie about right where he was a security guard trying to stop it? >

Yes...he was actually a hero, and they accused him, published his name and ruined his life.  Lazy-ass cops let the real bomber get away and commit more bombings after Atlanta. >

That's a fair point unless it's used to locate a suspect >

Agreed but I think we can make an exception about people possibly involved in a case who can't be reached. For instance, we have CCTV of a dude leaving a murder scene. Nobody has heard from him but the cops know his picture and name. Releasing it might lead to him being identified and have him give testimony, regardless of whether he murdered anyone. >

If the cops have his name there's no need to be identified. . .they have the identity. And if they have that they can find them to be questioned, telling the public changes nothing