justice system have attracted public opinion and research interest. Empirical interest in wrongful convictions dates back to research work by Borchard (1932). The introduction of deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) testing technology in the justice system brought to light the flaws in the system by revealing the innocence of convicts in prison with some serving death or life sentences (Bjerk & Helland, 2018). Wrongful convictions occur when factually innocent persons are convicted of crimes; a miscarriage in the justice system. The handful convictions of innocent persons challenges the efficacy of the US justice system.
The National Registry of Exonerations (2019) records 2439 exonerations in… Continue Reading...
Research Question and Introduction Development
Topic: Safeguarding the criminal justice system from wrongful convictions through an efficient innocence program
Research Question: What aspects of the innocence program need improvement, and in what ways, in order to guard the judicial system from wrongful convictions? (Rossi, Lipsey & Freeman, 2004)
Introduction
Wrongful conviction is an abuse of justice. It entails the sentencing and subsequent punishment of someone for crimes they never committed (Huff & Killias, 2013). Wrongful convictions can happen in civil and criminal cases alike. Many criminal justice processes have been tailored to overcome this possibility and overturn such erroneous judicial decisions. It… Continue Reading...
crime, drug trafficking and counterfeit goods
3. Innocence Program-Suspect Conviction processes: Consequences of wrongful conviction of inmates and measure needed to alleviate wrongful convictions
Impact of relevant political and ethical issues associated with the program evaluation
The criminal justice system has many good but also negative consequences. To the extent that there still are wrongful convictions and the policy makers may have to reevaluate the program with an objective of rethinking the loopholes. Zalman (2006) describes the importance of developing what he terms as an innocence movement. The objective is to litigate matters in the best interest of likely exonerates and promote a research and policy agenda that takes care of innocent… Continue Reading...
avoid using the death penalty is the possibility of false confessions and wrongful convictions. DNA evidence overturns convictions often enough to render the death penalty unreasonable. Moreover, the Eighth Amendment to the Constitution forbids the use of “cruel and unusual punishment.” While state-sanctioned executions are not unusual and are no less cruel than a prison sentence, capital punishment has a permanency that is both cruel and unusual. If evidence were to surface that exonerated the individual, there is no possibility of overturning a death sentence. The family of the wrongfully accused would suffer tremendously, and the general public would lose faith in… Continue Reading...