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Wrongful convictions

Case Deconstruction of Criminal Investigative Failures

NCJ Number
254340
Date Published
January 2018
Agencies
NIJ-Sponsored
Publication Type
Research (Applied/Empirical), Report (Summary), Report (Grant Sponsored), Report (Annual/Periodic), Program/Project Description
PDF

Wrongful Convictions: The Latest Scientific Research & Implications for Law Enforcement

March 2013
Series
Research for the Real World

What does science tell us about case factors that can lead to a wrongful conviction? Dr. Jon Gould of American University will discuss the findings of the first large-scale empirical study that has identified ten statistically significant factors that distinguish a wrongful conviction from a "near miss." (A "near miss" is a case in which an innocent defendant was acquitted or had charges dismissed before trial). Following Dr. Gould's presentation, Mr. John R.

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Just Wrong: The Aftermath of Wrongful Convictions

October 2017

The strength of our criminal justice system depends on its ability to convict the guilty and clear the innocent. But we know that innocent people are sometimes wrongfully convicted and the guilty remain free to victimize others. The consequences of a wrongful conviction are far-reaching for the wrongfully convicted and the survivors and victims of the original crimes. 

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"Sentinel Event" Review in the Criminal Justice System

January 2014

Listen to James Doyle discuss the basics of a "sentinel event" review in the criminal justice system. This learning-from-error approach borrows from principles that medicine, aviation and other high-risk enterprises have successfully used. Former NIJ Fellow Doyle offers the basics to understand this innovative idea that takes a system-wide perspective of error, bringing all stakeholders together in a non-blaming, forward-looking way after a bad outcome, such as a wrongful conviction, occurs.

Transcript
"Sentinel Event" Review in the Criminal Justice System
Audio file
Listen to the recording

Director's Message: Making Progress on Understanding and Investigating Sexual Assault

While NIJ is proud of the progress we have made, we know there is still a great deal more to be done to improve sexual assault investigations, provide trauma-informed support to victims, and strengthen the efficiency of sexual assault kit testing.

–Nancy Rodriguez

Sexual assault is a traumatic crime with a wide range of impacts on both the victim and public safety. Over the last...

Director's Message: Shining Light on Wrongful Convictions

Every wrongful conviction is a miscarriage of justice that impacts every level of our society, often leading to questions about the fairness of the justice system. Wrongful convictions have a life-long impact on individuals who have been wrongfully convicted, the original victims of crime, and their families. To provide the wrongfully convicted an opportunity to prove their innocence through DNA analysis and to  seek justice...

Wrongful Convictions

Wrongful Convictions: The Literature, the Issues, and the Unheard Voices
Wrongful Convictions: The Literature, the Issues, and the Unheard Voices

The strength of our criminal justice system depends on its accuracy — its ability to convict the guilty and to clear the innocent. But we know that wrongful convictions happen. Identifying and understanding the causes of wrongful convictions is critical to maintaining the integrity of our justice system.

A conviction may be classified as wrongful for two reasons:

  1. The person convicted is factually innocent...