Many factors come into play when evaluating why wrongful convictions occur. There are many remedies that have been proven to decrease wrongful convictions. Unfortunately, these remedies are being ignored by many jurisdictions in the United States.
Wrongful convictions can be greatly reduced if proper reforms are put into motion in these key categories:
- DNA/Forensics
- Evidence Preservation
- Eyewitness Identification
- False Confessions
- Inadequate Representation
- Police Informants
- Police and Prosecutorial Misconduct
Reform is also needed when it comes to helping those who have been exonerated. Freedom is only the first step to recovery. Most exonerees spend an average of 12.5 years in prison before being released and face great hardships when they make their way back into society.