Wrongful convictions seem to be a rampant problem in Canada and the United States and I was wondering what everyone thinks about what ordinary people can do to help prevent them from happening. I have heard that if you are falsely accused of a crime, you should never talk to police without a lawyer, don't give consent for any searches and don't agree to a polygraph test. One disturbing thing I have noticed is that people can be convicted with no proof or evidence and having a good reputation and no criminal record doesn't seem to matter. Another troubling thing is that police often have a profile of rapists or murderers that is always the same. A single male with a low-paying job and few friends. There are plenty of innocent people who fit this description but are framed even though many criminals are married, wealthy and respected in the community. Another problem is police "tunnel vision" where they get it in their mind that a certain person is guilty of a crime and will ignore other leads and do anything to frame their target such as hide evidence showing their innocence and manufacturing evidence to frame them. It is no wonder that many law-abiding people now fear the police and courts more than they fear criminals.

N0help4u

I agree I have been saying this for years.
One thing you didn't mention is don't take a plea bargain if you are innocent. They often insist that you will end up with a worse sentence guilty or innocent if you don't take the plea bargain (of course they are assuming you are guilty) and convince you it is your only way out.
One time I heard Judge Judy yell at a guy that of course you ARE guilty you took the plea bargain. No sane person would take a plea if they were innocent. But fact is they do and will pressure you as your only way out.
I have also said about how the magistrate where I live runs a kangroo court and railroads people without even letting them in the court or hearing their side of the story.

My bf is in jail right now because of something that his sister pulled on him around 3 yrs ago so that she could steal their dads money while he sat in jail. She screamed at the Judge throw him in jail repeatedly and that was the entire court procedure.
He has been on probation but missed a court review. Its more involved but that is the basic.

Here are two good links

What is America’s role in wrongful convictions

http://justicedenied.org/v2issue8specialedition.htm

N0help4u

He won't be found innocent. He has to go through the jail time and live with it. He has no proof and they took her word because she bullies the cops and the Judge.
He never really had a hearing and he has no real court evidence proof of what she pulls.
He has to ride it out and hope he can put it behind him somehow.
The Judge also sides with the cops no matter what. Then when anybody wants to appeal the lawyers say ''if you have the money. Odds are you won't win cause whose the Judge going to believe. You or the cops? Think about it!''

twinkiedooter

NH you seriously have to think about moving to a different county when the bf gets out of jail. The kangaroo judge will eventually get his, but in the meantime you need to watch your back and your kids and bf's back as well.


And as for the wrongfully accused convicted folks.....
There ARE criminal profiles that the FBI have put together that they use to find the serial rapists and serial murderers. John Douglas a former FBI profiler has written some very interesting books on this topic and when they do a profile of these people they invariably come up with the correct profile/suspect.

Cops are taught to be skeptical for a reason. They have to be. Judges on the other hand are not taught this, but come by it naturally. The judges that are crooked/bought off or just "good friends" with the DA and think it's okay to do whatever they want to (like in NH's case) are an abomination and should be disrobed and thrown in jail for such conduct.

Look at Sotomayor. She had a case that resulted in an innocent man going to prison for too many years. She could care less. It wasn't her behind that sat in jail but some innocent guy.

Sometimes innocent people actually do say too much thinking that by talking they will be treated differently. Not so. The cops now have their "suspect", why go after the real culprit when this guy is singing his heart out?

N0help4u

went thru while I was typing.
We want to move but don't know if he will still be on probation when he gets out or if they will say time served and he doesn't have to pay his sister any more.

N0help4u

One more thing
I think the best thing that ever happened in the court system is DNA because a small percentage of innocent people have gotten off on DNA proving they were innocent.