3.7 Pick a Case From the National Registry of Exonerations and Summarize
This semester we have examined the steps in a typical felony prosecution and the procedural safeguards in place for criminal defendants. Despite these safeguards, sometimes we still get it wrong, and innocent people are convicted of crimes they did not commit. Appellate courts were put in place for policy formation and error correction. They serve a very important role in cases of wrongful convictions. According to the Innocence Project, there have been over 360 innocent people exonerated by DNA, and the vast majority of them are racial minorities. Browse some of these cases at: OR on the causes of wrongful convictions detailed in the readings, what solutions should be in place to prevent these miscarriages of justice in the future? Discuss in your own words at least 2 reform ideas that you think should be implemented in the criminal justice system to prevent wrongful convictions in the future.