Is Wrongful Conviction a Life Sentence?

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Discussion Overview

The discussion revolves around the implications of wrongful convictions, particularly focusing on the role of DNA technology in preventing such cases. Participants explore the emotional impact of wrongful convictions and the effectiveness of DNA evidence in various types of crimes, including rape and murder.

Discussion Character

  • Debate/contested
  • Exploratory
  • Technical explanation

Main Points Raised

  • Some participants express that wrongful convictions are a serious injustice, emphasizing the emotional toll on those affected.
  • There is a discussion about the potential of DNA technology to prevent wrongful convictions, with some suggesting it may also lead to new issues due to improper sample handling.
  • Concerns are raised about the reliance on DNA evidence, particularly in cases of murder, where its applicability may be limited compared to cases of rape.
  • One participant notes the importance of linking to specific articles or resources to provide clearer information on wrongful convictions.
  • Another participant highlights the need for prosecutors to prioritize justice over career advancement, suggesting that some may be more focused on winning convictions.
  • There is a mention of a specific case involving a man released after 30 years due to DNA evidence, illustrating the real-world implications of wrongful convictions.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants express a range of views on the effectiveness and limitations of DNA evidence in preventing wrongful convictions. There is no consensus on the overall impact of DNA technology, and the discussion remains unresolved regarding its role in different types of crimes.

Contextual Notes

Some participants question the reliability of statistics related to wrongful convictions and the handling of DNA evidence, indicating a lack of clarity on these issues. The discussion also touches on the challenges of linking to relevant resources effectively.

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What "standard" are you referring to?
 
It's heartbreaking. I hope that DNA technology will prevent this from happening so much!
 
lisab said:
It's heartbreaking. I hope that DNA technology will prevent this from happening so much!

prevent some. maybe cause some others?
 
Proton Soup said:
prevent some. maybe cause some others?

Hmm, perhaps...due to improper sample handling, you mean? But many more wrong convictions will be prevented.
 
lisab said:
Hmm, perhaps...due to improper sample handling, you mean? But many more wrong convictions will be prevented.

i leave bits of my DNA all over the place, but I'm not so much in a position to control what goes on in all those places. prosecutors convict people over even less than physical evidence if you believe the lawyer guy that tells people never to talk to the police.
 
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lisab said:
Hmm, perhaps...due to improper sample handling, you mean? But many more wrong convictions will be prevented.
But isn't DNA evidence mostly in the case of rape? Murder may not be so dependent on it, where life imprisonment and death come into play.

lisab said:
It's heartbreaking. I hope that DNA technology will prevent this from happening so much!
What is?

I don't even know what mugs is referring to, his link doesn't go directly to an article. He posted a generic search. Unless you're going directly to a specific article, can you post the link you're looking at?
 
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Evo said:
But isn't DNA evidence mostly in the case of rape? Murder may not be so dependent on it, where life imprisonment and death come into play.

What is?

I don't even know what mugs is referring to, his link doesn't go directly to an article. He posted a generic search. Unless you're going directly to a specific article, can you post the link you're looking at?

On Mugs' link, if you click "Next search" you get a slide show of people who were wrongly convicted. First one is a guy who was just released after 30 years, http://specials.msn.com/A-List/Life...2&cp-searchtext=Cornelius Dupree&FORM=MSNIIT".
 
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lisab said:
On Mugs' link, if you click "Next search" you get a slide show of people who were wrongly convicted. First one is a guy who was just released after 30 years, http://specials.msn.com/A-List/Life...2&cp-searchtext=Cornelius Dupree&FORM=MSNIIT".
Mugs need to fix that, when you link to specifics, you get more searches.

Dupree was convicted of rape, so he was lucky that they still had DNA evidence.

It would have been better to link directly to the project that's working on DNA evidence in old cases.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Innocence_Project#Wrongful_convictions
 
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  • #10
This was, by the way, directed at those few prosecutors who are more desirous of winning a conviction to further their career than they are of doing the right thing.
 
  • #11
Evo said:
But isn't DNA evidence mostly in the case of rape?

Well, http://www.disastercenter.com/crime/uscrime.htm" , but the fact that the rape number is rounded tells me it was grossly underreported. Murders tend to be somewhat less disputable.

Either way we look at it, it's not very pleasant.
 
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