Description
Book SynopsisWritten from a cross-disciplinary perspective, the essays in this collection are divided into four sections: the causes of wrongful convictions; the social characteristics of the wrongfully convicted; case studies and personal histories; and suggestions for change in the criminal justice system.
Trade ReviewThe contributors to this collection discuss the many ways in which innocent criminal defendants can be convicted in a system that places great emphasis on protecting them. Some involve culpability: brutal or racially biased police and other officials, treacherous informants, and incompetent attorneys. . . . Recommended for upper-division undergraduates, graduate students, and faculty. * Choice *
An all-star set of contributors and clearly written essays make this a worthwhile addition to anti-death penalty literatures. Westervelt and Humphrey take a practical approach to the topic. Essays in Part 1 show that eyewitnesses are often wrong, police trick suspects into making confessions, informants lie to gain benefits, and police can be incompetent or venal. Part 2 argues that those who are unpopular, uneducated, or members of a racial minority invite harsher treatment by authorities. The next section offers case studies on convictions that were wrongly obtained. . . . This excellent introduction to a controversial topic is highly recommended. * Library Journal *
A very powerful addition to the debate on capital punishment. -- George Kelling * author of Fixing Broken Windows *
Table of ContentsContents
Foreword ix
Acknowledgements xiii
Introduction 1
Part I: Causes of Wrongful Conditions
1 Misinformation and Wrongful Convictions 17
2 False Confessions 36
3 From the Jailhouse to the Courthouse 55
4 The Police Role in Wrongful Convictions 77
Part II: The Social Characteristics of the Wrongly Convicted
5 Who Are the Wrongly Convicted on Death Row? 99
6 Racial Bias and the Conviction of the Innocent
Part III: The Faces of the Wrongly Convicted
7 More Than a Reasonable Doubt 135
8 No Appeal from the Grave 154
9 Whodunit? An Examination of the Production of Wrongful Convictions 174
Part IV: Visions for Change in the Twenty-first Century
10 Back from the Courthouse 199
11 Effective Assistance of Counsel 220
12 DNA and Innocence Scholarship 241
13 The Adversary System and Historical Accuracy 253
14 Erroneous Convictions and the Death Penalty 269
About the editors and contributors 281
Index 289
