Which is worse: An innocent person convicted, or a guilty one acquitted?

Answer 1

In my opinion, an innocent person convicted. It's really sad. They can never get back the years that they've missed. It tears families apart. It places a psychological strain on both the accused and their families.

Unfortunately, a guilty person acquitted has the chance to offend a second time and victimized someone else, but there is a chance that it will catch up to them, hopefully sooner than later.

Answer 2

It is said that it is better to be rich and guilty than poor and innocent. While I like to see the guilty get what is coming to them, I sure don't want to have an innocent person convected. So I would believe it is worse to see an innocent person convicted than a guilty person acquitted as the guilty person has to live with what they did and will pay for it someday.

Answer 3

I feel that an innocent convicted is worse. The guilty person might get caught with something later but an innocent that gets put in jail is almost never the same when they come out. It changes their life and the lives of their family and friends for the worse. The innocent would likely be tortured in some form or many forms while in jail because he/she wouldn't know how to survive in that lifestyle.

Answer 4

I would have to say an innocent convicted. If a guilty person is acquitted, that's because someone didn't do their job or the Judge was wrong but if an innocent is convicted, that's a travesty and a shame on everyone involved.

Answer 5

I agree.
An innocent person convicted.

Guilty people can be acquitted for many reasons, lack of evidence being on the top of the list - not necessarily folks making mistakes (although as human beings mistakes are inevitable).. we have to prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt in this country - we do that in an attempt to keep as many innocents from being sent up the river as possible.

Answer 6

There is nothing worse than an innocent person convicted of a crime! We are accused of things everyday, but to be accused and then penalized for NOT committing the crime?!?! What the hell is this world coming to?

Are the police that lazy that they give up on looking for the real suspect? Do they just grab the closest person standing near them so that they can get back to the donut shop?

Answer 7

An innocent person convicted is far worse. Chances are we'll see the guilty one again at a later date...

Answer 8

The saying goes "tis better to release 10 guilty men than to convict 1 innocent man".

Answer 9

A guilty one acquitted.

While the conviction of an innocent person may be a travesty, it is not done intentionally, or with malice or with prejudice (one hopes).

But the acquittal of the guilty usually results in additional crimes committed by the acquitted guilty person, thus harming more innocent people, perhaps significantly and in significant numbers.

A wrong conviction can be overturned. But a crime committed by an acquitted criminal cannot be taken back.
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For those that quote that dubious wisdom that it's better that x number of guilty go free than 1 innocent be convicted, you need to remember that those x guilty people will probably commits multiple more crimes, resulting in a significantly greater number of victims, perhaps raped or murdered, than simply the 1 innocent being jailed.

Never forget the number of additional innocent victims when you choose to be lenient towards criminals.

Answer 10

It would be worse if an innocent person was convicted. I couldn't imagine being convicted for a crime I didn't commit. The months or years that you spend in prison would be time you can never get back. And I would think that being in prison would change you profoundly, especially if you spend a significant amount of time in prison. You also have it on your record forever that you were convicted of this crime, and that can affect the rest of your life even when you get out of prison.