Unit 9: Wrongful Convictions

Wrongful Convictions
There are many different ways wrongful convictions can happen, and many ways that it can be prevented from happening. There are many ways to help out the unfortunate people that happen to be wrongfully convicted. Some of the ways that wrongful convictions happen are because of eyewitness making a false statement or not an accurate one, confessing for a crime that was never committed by that person, the government not doing the appropriate thing and lawyers not doing everything it takes to prove innocence. Eye witness identification is used most of the time for evidence. “Eye witness identification was a contributing factor in 72 percent of cases later overturned by DNA evidence” (Cummins, 2014). Sometimes witnesses have no doubt in their identification, but can be mistaken. Other inmates can cause wrongful convictions as well.
Exchanging testimonies of a suspect with the promise of a shorter sentence or even being released.
Informant testimony causes more than 15 percent of wrongful convictions turned over by DNA evidence (Cummins, 2014). Some ways to prevent wrongful convictions are having access to DNA testing, having innocent people along with the guilty ones in a line-up, making sure all interrogations are recorded for the protection of the suspect being questioned and properly concealed and stored evidence. Eye witness identification can be avoided by telling a witness that