Introduction
Wrongful convictions are characterized by the fact that individuals are found guilty and punished for crimes that they actually did not commit, which represents a serious miscarriage of justice with far-reaching consequences for the innocent and society in general. The improvement of forensic science and legal processes does not prevent irregular convictions, and therefore, it amplifies the presence of a system issue in the criminal justice system. This essay seeks to analyze the causes of the miscarriages of justice discussed by the recent research works, relying on five sources of information reviewed earlier in the essay.
Causes of Wrongful Convictions
In the criminal justice process, mistrials generate complex interactions of different factors that influence the involvement of wrongful convictions. Furthermore, the mistakes in forensic science analyses are a significant factor in Bonventrefor’s article (2021). And despite the fact that criminal investigations take account of the science, which is called forensic science in one way or another, sometimes, those analyzing the evidence act in favor of erroneous convictions by delivering the evidence that can be either treated as invalid or turned upside down by confirmation biases. The consequences of confirmation biases, though seemingly overwhelming, can also hamper the credibility of forensic analyses, which consequently translates into erroneous conclusions in a criminal case to the court. This means that the recognition of these problems in forensics is of particular significance to ensure criminal trials are done accordingly and free from sealing wrongful convictions.
Furthermore, according to Bellin (2020), misidentification is the reason why the justice system sometimes leads to wrongful convictions. The purpose of Bellin’s illustration is to manifest eyewitness misidentification as rampant in court convictions, and this is somehow influenced by stress, suggestibility, and cross-racial identifications. According to Bellin, in his article, the author proposes eliminating some rules that protect the innocence of evidence to solve the problem of eyewitnesses’ unreliability. These proposals aim to introduce more rigorous electro-witness test requirements that would minimally lead to wrong identifications. Such reforms, in turn, can make the evidence submitted to court more reliable and accurate, thus preventing wrong convictions or making the legal system a fair market. Through prevention orientation, Bellin pinpoints the vulnerabilities of witness testimony that arise from its complexity and weak points. By means of evidence-based measures, the approach to false identifications will make the criminal justice system more equitable and just. Thus, it ensures that people are treated fairly and correctly.
Another big reason for misidentifications is false confessions, which are supported by Gudjonsson’s account (2021). Gudjonsson highlights the importance of coercive police interrogation methods and psychological weaknesses as the factors that lead to innocent people confessing to crimes that they did not commit. In other words, the author emphasizes to know the science-based ways that lead to false confessions. He suggests that in case of doubtful confession, it is necessary to involve expert evaluation, and police interviews should be recorded automatically. Recorded interrogation allows law enforcement agencies to identify coercive tactics and indicators of false confessions so that this powerful means serves to ensure the judicial review of the case and avoid miscarriages of justice. Using these tactics and dealing with the facets of false confessions, law enforcement could lower the rate of wrongful conclusions in cases dominated by false or compelled confessions. Therefore, the criminal justice system will be significant and sacred.
In addition, Scherr et al. (2020) argue that psychological tools, specifically the cumulative disadvantage, are incepted to show that in some circumstances, poor people are framed wrongly and judged. This model of process wrongful allegation may recommend the police to suspect innocent people, which may result in a chain of events that the justice system cannot handle and, therefore, lead to misidentification. Among others, beginner’s folly on the part of the suspects, interrogators’ readiness to impute guilt, and prejudicial decision-making processes throughout the criminal justice system have negative cumulative impacts. As the study findings show, researchers ask for policies that are based on the research and that aim to put a halt to the history of wrong convictions by dismantling a process which spans several stages with several factors. The experts in this field of study are, to a great extent, of the opinion that the use of research-based policies and interventions is just but a vital tool for the reduction of risks that are associated with concentrated disadvantages and for keeping the criminal justice system intact.
Prevention Methods
Among many other things, changing the rules of evidence, interrogation methods, and accountable systems already in use in the criminal justice system are just some of the things that need to be done to fight against wrongful conviction factors. To start with, Bellin (2020) notes that the most significant thing is the change in the relevant rules about evidence to make sure that injustices do not happen through bad forensic evidence or flawed eyewitness statements. Offering innocence-safe solutions, e.g. more stringent rules on the admissibility of forensic evidence and protective measures against the influence of confirmation biases on expert testimony, the author draws attention to the possibility of improving the reliability of evidence in criminal trials and increasing its credibility. Through these reforms, the courts can curb the risks of having bad forensic analyses or eyewitness misidentifications, and this can subsequently lead to wrongful convictions reduction and, hence, a fair legal system.
Improving interrogation techniques emerges as a significant strategy towards preventing wrongful convictions, in view of false confessions as one of the essential concerns, considering what Gudjonsson (2021) highlighted. Gudjonsson stresses the role of an expert evaluation in dealing with conflicting confessions and argues for the mandatory use of electronic recording for police interviews. The audio recording of interrogations allows police organizations to identify methods of coercion and spot signs of false confessions, which are absolutely necessary for judicial review and may help avoid wrongful convictions. However, Gudjonsson highlights the importance of training officers in non-coercive interrogation techniques and psychological principles. This training will lower the chance of eliciting non-existent confessions from innocent suspects by empowering ethical and effective interrogation methods. These measures are vital to the criminal justice system as they strengthen the quality of evidence, safeguard the principles of fairness and justice, and, as a result, minimize the number of wrongful convictions.
The establishment of an accountability culture in law enforcement and judiciary arises as a priority in the prevention of wrongful convictions and promotion of a fair justice system, as per Scherr et al. (2020). Proposing empirical-based reforms which are grounded in psychological science and case precedents, Scherr et al. accentuate the need to address bias and legal errors throughout the justice system. This involves introducing steps to curb bias at every stage, which could be from the initial suspect identification to the final appeal decision. Additionally, the authors propose oversight agencies such as independent review boards and standardized procedures for the treatment of exculpatory evidence. This can be accomplished through the establishment of these measures, and thereby, the criminal justice system can prevent miscarriages of justice and hold accountable those who are responsible for wrongful convictions, which in turn strengthens public trust in the legal system and upholds the integrity of the court proceedings.
Conclusion
In conclusion, injustice is the main implication of wrongful convictions in the justice system. Nevertheless, addressing the underlying causes of improper convictions, as well as the implementation of an evidence-based line of defense, can help achieve a judicial system that is fair and just. Some of the major strategies include improving the reliability and integrity of the evidence that is presented in the court through amending the rules of evidence, enhancing interrogation techniques to avoid the possibility of false confessions, and increasing the accountability of policing and the judiciary. These are necessary measures in order to avoid wrongful convictions and for justice to prevail for every person. Ethical flaws could be investigated, and proper procedures could be adopted to reduce the number of wrongful convictions and preserve the ideas of justice and fairness in the criminal justice system.
References
Brooks, S. K., & Greenberg, N. (2021). Psychological impact of being wrongfully accused of criminal offences: A systematic literature review. Medicine, Science and the Law, 61(1), 44-54.
Gudjonsson, G. H. (2021). The science-based pathways to understanding false confessions and wrongful convictions. Frontiers in Psychology, 12, 633936.
Bellin, J. (2020). The evidence rules that convict the innocent. Cornell L. Rev., 106, 305.
Bonventre, C. L. (2021). Wrongful convictions and forensic science. Wiley Interdisciplinary Reviews: Forensic Science, 3(4), e1406.
Scherr, K. C., Redlich, A. D., & Kassin, S. M. (2020). Cumulative disadvantage: A psychological framework for understanding how innocence can lead to confession, wrongful conviction, and beyond. Perspectives on Psychological Science, 15(2), 353-383.
write