Please...just a number answer....
...I think 5% myself.
2006-10-30 11:51:32 · 11 answers · asked by flignar 2 in Politics & Government ➔ Law Enforcement & Police
5% could be high but we do not know extensive corruption is. I would leave it at 5%.
2006-10-30 11:56:09 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 1⤋
If you ask the prisoners, nearly all of them say they are innocent. Practically speaking, none can be deemed officially innocent or they would be released immediately. I would have to say that those that are found guilty and sent to prison wrongly are less than 5%, closer to 2%. However a majority of these had a previous crime record which helped them to be convicted in the first place.
2006-10-30 20:15:04 · answer #2 · answered by Mr.Wise 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
That's a difficult question, partly because you have to define innocent. Many people are arraigned / indicted on "trumped up" charges, with the prosecutor knowing that they will probably plead down to something readily proveable and reasonable. Oftentimes, people get swept up in massive drug conspiracies where they may have had a minor role but get charged and convicted with a major role, especially if there are cooperating witnesses. Many jurors believe that the defendant did "something," whether or not that's what he's charged with. And in a few years as a lawyer, I'd have to agree that nearly all of defendants charged (99%+) did SOMETHING to get them charged, and that something is probably prosecutable. But a smaller percentage (80% 90%?) actually did what they were convicted of.
2006-10-30 19:56:06 · answer #3 · answered by Perdendosi 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Of course there are people that have been wrongly convicted. The number of overturned cases since DNS evidence has become available proves it.
Of course, there is no possible way to have an accurate number, because once they are proven innocent, they are released from jail.
2006-10-30 19:58:22 · answer #4 · answered by HearKat 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
They have all been convicted by 12 jurrors and a judge or took a plea bargain, there are no innocent people in prison.
2006-10-30 19:53:43 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 1⤋
I don't know, but it scares me.
Sidenote: I'm reading "Innocent Man" by John Grisham right now. It's so awful, I can't keep my mind off it.
2006-10-30 19:59:47 · answer #6 · answered by MEL T 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
3%
2006-10-30 20:09:57 · answer #7 · answered by Lori H 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I'm not sure, I just heard this the other night, I think it's
something like 28% - quite disturbing.
2006-10-30 19:56:40 · answer #8 · answered by Calee 6 · 1⤊ 1⤋
i'd think that you are about right. depends on what the conviction is for && what prison its at...
2006-10-30 20:03:38 · answer #9 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
I have no idea....but even if it's just one person it's one person too many.
2006-10-30 20:18:32 · answer #10 · answered by daljack -a girl 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋