And if so, how? A man was recently released from prison after serving 15 years for a crime that DNA evidence showed he could not possibly have committed. This could happen to any of us. How can these mistakes be avoided? How can the system be reformed to prevent this from happening? And how can society possibly compensate innocent people for wrongful convictions?
2006-07-26 03:44:38 · 7 answers · asked by jxt299 7 in Politics & Government ➔ Law Enforcement & Police
Yes, and most of the time they are (usually $100 per day).
Mistakes are hard to avoid. But I would suggest the following changes:
1. Never take the word of the police as gospel unless they have collaborating evidence (the jury has to weigh in on this)
2. All interrogations need to be video tapped. No videotape, no evidence.
3. All rape cases need to have DNA evidence or other eye witness testimony.
4. Get rid of the blanket shield laws which protect police. If it is found that a police officer crossed the line in a willful manner, then they should be prosecuted with no statue of limitations.
2006-07-26 03:52:51 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
I do believe that they should be given a chance by the government which wrongly convicted them: either a decent paying job or schooling to get what they should out of life.
A lot of employers will not hire anyone that has been convicted whether it was wrongly convicted or not. Just having been in prison gives people the fear of that individual. I could also see where the pride would be a problem as well in that individuals who make it on their own definitely have a lot more pride than those who were given something... so giving them the chance to make money and have a career would be better than giving them compensation up front.
2006-07-26 10:50:40 · answer #2 · answered by sheristeele 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Yes they should. If the possibility exists that there could be a costly settlement if a conviction is wrong, perhaps prosecutors would be more careful about getting it done right the first time. The flip side is that we don't want to be so reluctant to prosecute that we let criminals go unpunished (which seems to happen a lot). It's a terrible crime when an innocent person has to go to the huge expense of defending themselves, and then lose and go to prison. I can't think of a worse nightmare.
2006-07-26 10:50:55 · answer #3 · answered by TigerLilly 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
They should be compensated and I think the over zealous D.A> s need to be looked at. I have seen over and over that they want someone prosecuted just to quell the public that there has been justice. If you have no money and can't hire a defense then you are stuck with a inexperienced public defender. Our system is really messed up and needs to be re vamped. I have seen peoples life's destroyed and they can never get back what they lost and people still treat them like there a criminal and they have a hard time finding a job.
2006-07-26 11:01:24 · answer #4 · answered by twinsmakesfive 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Yes they should .If the government didn't give police and prosecutors so much power that wouldn't happen .
A famous supreme court justice said (its better that 10 guilty people be freed than one innocent person be convicted).The thought that you are innocent until proven guilty is a thing of the past .Now a days you are guilty as charged .If your presumed innocent until proven guilty .Why do they confiscate your personal property when your arrested. Isn't taking an innocent persons property stealing .
2006-07-30 23:55:17 · answer #5 · answered by dollars2burn4u 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Absolutely YES..
I believe the Prosecutor and all his witnesses and experts
should also be brought before a Grand Jury to determine if
any of them knew that the wrongly convicted man was innocent.
2006-07-26 11:59:31 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
They should be compensated someone in the justice dept. f***s up and this guy loses 15 years of his life thats just wrong.
2006-07-26 11:36:12 · answer #7 · answered by candidworker 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋