I offer this quote from Gordon R Dickson, a venerable SF writer, and a favourite of mine.
“Why should there be some sort of virtue always attributed to a frank admission of vice? ”
Very appropriate in this age, what with famous tennis players and expense fiddling politicians. When did any misdeed become acceptable, as long as the perpetrator makes a ‘frank’ admission when finally caught?
Get it right, you numpties! Don’t do it in the first place!