6 Common Reasons for Wrongful Imprisonment

In America, people are frequently and gravely wrongfully convicted. More innocent individuals than ever before are locked up in American prisons and jails. Exoneration rates keep climbing, pointing to a flawed criminal justice system. 

Wrongful convictions have harmed the reputation of our justice system and wrecked the lives of many innocent people due to factors such as the inability to afford a lawyer, the use of questionable science, the testimony of unreliable witnesses, and the inability to afford a lawyer. 

But if you were wrongfully convicted, there is only one option to make things right: initiate legal action against the government. Multiple factors might contribute to an individual’s wrongful conviction. Some of the more frequent reasons are explained below.

Incorrect Interpretation by Witnesses

When it comes to wrongful convictions, 72% of those exonerated by DNA testing may be directly attributed to faulty testimony from eyewitnesses. Due to the rapid nature of most criminal acts, it is not uncommon for an honest blunder to occur here. In addition, criminals frequently attempt to conceal their identities. This creates a great deal of possibility for mistakes, particularly in cases involving witness identification. 

The suspect may stick out more in a lineup or a photo, leading to erroneous identification by eyewitnesses. The witness may have an exaggerated sense of certainty that the person they saw is the offender, or the police may accidentally steer the witness toward a certain suspect. 

Accurate findings can be achieved by enhancing the identifying processes used by eyewitnesses. One way to achieve this is to conceal the identity of the suspect from the police performing the process. Once the witness makes identification of the suspect, the police must get a declaration of confidence.

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False Forensic Evidence

Sometimes incorrect assumptions cause forensic scientists to draw incorrect conclusions regarding the evidence. Examples include traces of residue from gunshots, incidents of abusive head trauma, and fire. The accuracy and reliability of evidence presented in court are not always checked. 

Also, before the advent of DNA testing, forensics had to rely on evidence like scratches and hair analyses, none of which are entirely definitive. Unfortunately, judges, attorneys, and juries often put stock in the testimony of experts brought in during cases. To end the injustice of wrongfully imprisoned individuals, more reliable forensic studies are needed.

False Testimony

False confessions may lead to wrongful convictions, which is as absurd as it seems. People with mental illness, mental disabilities, or minors are more likely to make these false admissions. However, this isn’t just a problem among those groups. When questioning a suspect, police officers frequently try to coax a confession out of them rather than just gather evidence. 

Additionally, they will stress the gravity of the conviction and the reliability of their evidence. By telling the suspect that their punishment can be reduced if they confess, they exert pressure for a confession. Because authorities feed suspects precise information regarding the crime, confessions are generally reliable. 

False confessions can be more easily identified in taped interrogations. It is possible to reduce the number of false confessions made during interrogations by emphasizing on investigation rather than extracting confession.

Official Misconduct

One of the most common causes of wrongful convictions is the concealment or suppression of evidence. Innocent people may have been wrongfully convicted because of honest mistakes. However, far too often, law enforcement officers and prosecutors, the very persons tasked with protecting truth and justice, fail to do so because they are too preoccupied with achieving convictions. 

Evidence of carelessness, fraud, or wrongdoing on the side of prosecutors or police is abundant in the wrongful convictions overturned by DNA testing. Even while the vast majority of cops and prosecutors are upstanding citizens, mistakes, misbehavior, and corruption are always a possibility in any human undertaking like criminal justice. 

Wrongful convictions will still happen even if just one officer out of a thousand is dishonest. DNA exonerations have shed light on wrongdoing by authorities at every stage of the criminal justice process.

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Using Informants

The police may offer a witness a reward if they can convince them to testify against a suspect. An informant gave false testimony at the defendant’s initial trial in 18% of the cases of wrongful convictions that DNA evidence later overturned. 

Some charges or penalties may be dismissed in exchange for these individuals testifying. Sadly, this can sometimes provide an obvious temptation to lie. It is difficult to authenticate information provided by informants of this nature who could claim to have heard the suspects confess.

Poor Defense

Unfortunately, wrongful convictions can sometimes result from incompetent defense counsel. Lawyers need to be knowledgeable, dedicated, and have access to appropriate resources to perform a thorough investigation. In many cases, the court will assign an attorney to represent the suspect. 

These attorneys are overworked and underpaid while handling an overwhelming caseload. Due diligence, knowledge, and resources are required for every case. There is no guarantee that many suspects’ attorneys can provide these essentials.

Get Help with Lawsuit Funding

A wrongful conviction can completely alter a person’s life. This occurs more frequently than we’d like to admit, unfortunately. You may be having serious financial challenges if you’ve been wrongfully convicted. Wrongful imprisonment frequently leads to the loss of employment and a decrease in financial resources. Thankfully, High Rise Financial offers lawsuit funding for those with ongoing wrongful conviction lawsuits. Get in touch with us right now to speak with our team about your case and find out whether you qualify.

Need Risk-Free Lawsuit Funding? Contact Us Today!

If you need immediate cash advance to get your life back after a wrongful conviction and before your case concludes, reach out to us at High Rise Financial today. You can call us on (866) 407-6404. Our dedicated experts will be available to discuss with you and help you understand the different lawsuit loan options that are available to you. 

Call or text (877) 735-0016 or fill out our form to apply today for free.