wrongful Convictions
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Apr 3, 2024
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Wrongful Convictions
Terry Liddell
College of Humanities Social Sciences, Grand Canyon University Jus-202: Professional Responsibility in Justice
Prof. Consoli
February 5, 2022
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Introduction “In the United States, estimates frequently put the range of wrongful convictions between 0.5-5% or more, making “the number of wrongful convictions each year in the thousands to tens of thousands.” (Schapiro, 2020, p.1). With that being said wrongful convictions
are a serious problem in the criminal justice system in the United States. A wrongful conviction occurs when an innocent person is convicted of a crime they did not commit. This damages the integrity of the criminal justice system and damages the reputation of law enforcement agencies. To prevent future wrongful convictions we need to completely determine what a wrongful conviction is and the effects they have had on the justice system as a whole. We should identify who contributes to a wrongful conviction to see what they can do better ethically and describe the codes and mechanisms to enforce ethical behavior in law enforcement.
Wrongful convictions
A wrongful conviction is when an innocent person gets convicted of a crime they did not commit. This definition only applies to those who are factually innocent and not when they are found legally innocent. Wrongful convictions have made it harder for the public to trust that the conclusions they con to are the right ones.
Major Players in the Justice System
When trying to prevent wrongful convictions there are a few major players who affect the
outcome in the justice system. They are lawyers, police officers, judges
, and the criminal justice system court
. To prevent wrongful convictions, it is important for all players within the criminal
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justice system to adopt ethical behavior and practices. For law enforcement officers they should always follow proper procedures for collecting and preserving evidence and should avoid using tactics that could lead to false confessions and report any violations of the proper way of doing their jobs. Prosecutors should be impartial and not hide evidence that may exonerate the defendant. Defense lawyers should be big advocates for their clients and should investigate all available evidence to build a strong case for their clients. Judges should ensure that trials are fair and impartial, and juries should weigh the evidence objectively.
Codes and mechanisms To enforce ethical behavior in law enforcement, there are various codes and mechanisms in place. For example, law enforcement agencies may have codes of conduct that specify the ethical standards officers are expected to follow. These codes cover topics such as the use of force, the handling of evidence, and how suspects should be treated. Additionally, there are internal affairs divisions within law enforcement agencies that investigate allegations of misconduct. There are also external oversight agencies, such as civil rights organizations and the courts, that can investigate and hold law enforcement officers accountable for unethical behavior
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Reference Wrongful convictions
. National Institute of Justice. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://nij.ojp.gov/topics/justice-system-reform/wrongful-convictions
Schapiro , E. (n.d.). Wrongful convictions: Not just an American phenomenon?: An ...
Retrieved 2020, from https://eds-s-ebscohost-com.lopes.idm.oclc.org/eds/pdfviewer/pdfviewer?vid=4&sid=d972e53a-
2fdf-44ea-b9f0-105b0efd66eb%40redis
Hodge, S. S., & Walker, T. (2014). Ethics and criminal justice professions. In J. S. Albanese,
Wiley series of encyclopedias in criminology and criminal justice: The encyclopedia of criminology and criminal justice
. Wiley. Credo Reference: https://lopes.idm.oclc.org/login?url=https://search.credoreference.com/content/entry/
wileycacj/ethics_and_criminal_justice_professions/0?institutionId=5865
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