Why are some defendants wrongfully convicted? What methods might be used to avoid wrongful convictions and exonerate those who have been wrongfully convicted?
What will be an ideal response?
Most wrongful convictions occur because of a mishandling and/or improper processing of certain suspects by criminal justice officials. Wrongful convictions can also occur as a direct result of discrimination. False confessions can occur as a result of duress, coercion, intoxication, and mental impairment, and is another main reason for wrongful convictions. Inadequate legal representation is also a cause for wrongful convictions.
When looking at DNA wrongful convictions the problems can stem from a sample mix-up, a sample contamination, DNA degradation, and bad data analysis. These types of errors and other errors outside of DNA can be reduced by better policy and procedure within the criminal justice system and the forensic labs used. Specifically, the development of innocence commissions, crime lab oversight committees, improved witness identification procedures, improved evidence preservation, and the recording of police interrogations can all aid in reducing wrongful convictions.
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