NCJ Number
225376
Editor(s)
C. Ronald Huff,
Martin Killias
Date Published
2008
Length
325 pages
Annotation
Using a cross-national perspective, this book addresses the issue of wrongful conviction, presenting a collection of essays that analyzes cases of injustice across an array of legal systems with contributors from North America, Europe, and Israel.
Abstract
The definition of wrongful conviction utilized in this book dates back to 1996 and focuses exclusively on those who have been arrested on criminal charges, who have either pleaded guilty to the charges or have been found guilty, and who, notwithstanding their guilty plea or verdict, are actually innocent. Wrongful conviction is examined in the context of various nations and their respective criminal justice systems. The chapters within the book provide a balance of (1) detailed discussions of specific nations and (2) considerations of cross-cutting issues that transcend national boundaries. The traditional dichotomy of "adversarial" versus "continental-inquisitorial" legal systems will be both explained and revisited to determine (1) what impact each system may have on preventing or generating wrongful convictions and (2) whether this traditional dichotomy remains a viable one or is in need of revision. Part I focuses on some cross-national perspectives and issues. Sometimes wrongful convictions occur in a context of "moral panic" due to certain highly inflammatory crimes or allegations of crimes detested by the public. Part II includes contributions focusing on the United States and Canada with much of the world's attention to the issue of wrongful conviction centered on the United States due to a number of highly publicized cases and, in part, to the vast magnitude of the United States criminal justice system. In Part III, the focus shifts from North American studies and concerns to European and Israeli perspectives and issues. The book concludes with a discussion of some of the recurrent themes that emerged from the collective research represented in this volume and offers some conclusions and recommendations. Index