Wrongful Conviction Statistics

Since 1989, there are more than 300 convictions that have been overturned due to DNA evidence. Seventeen people have been wrongfully convicted and sent to death row. Despite this, wrongful conviction statistics has seen with a significant increase. It still remains an issue throughout the country and often lead to devastating consequences.

Wrongful Conviction Statistics Based on DNA Testing

60% of people who have been wrongfully convicted with this method have been financially compensated. But, in some cases, average person who has been convicted with this method has already spent 13 years in prison before being released. In the United States, 3,944 years have been served by innocent people in prison. In Texas, 46 exonerations case have been reversed to false conviction after they were solved by DNA testing.

According to wrongful conviction statistics in Texas, there is approximately 72% of wrongful convictions involve eyewitnesses’ false identification. But since 2000, 40% of all convicted crimes were recorded due to direct DNA testing.

Wrongful Convictions

For the past 23 years, over 2,000 wrongfully convicted persons have been exonerated. The University of Michigan Law School and the Center for Wrongful Convictions have recorded 873 exonerations across the U.S., and 416 of these are homicide cases. Other cases involve 203 sexual assault, 102 child sex abuse, 58 non-violent crimes, 47 robberies, and 47 other violent crimes.

According to the wrongful conviction statistics reported by the University of Michigan Law School and the Center for Wrongful Convictions, 52% of these cases involves false imprisonment or perjury and 42% of these cases cited official misconduct as the primary reason to falsehood.

In Illinois alone, $214 million tax has spent by the state government just to imprison innocent individuals. This amount was the combined for a total of 964 years spent by innocent people in jail. The United States Justice Department has released an estimate that 8% up to 12% of all imprisoned people on the state level are factually or actually innocent.

Reasons to Wrongful Convictions

According to California Innocence Project, there are several issues that arise during the initial police investigation, during the trial, and during the post-conviction proceeding that lead to wrongful conviction. Therefore, all the issues regarding the increase in wrongful convictions statistics point to the criminal justice system. Reforms are needed and must be available to prevent the occurrence of wrongful convictions.

Police Investigation: The failure of the police office to conduct the initial investigation leads to not determining whom the perpetrator or who the suspect is. Neglect of police officers to conduct a proper investigation is the primary cause of wrongful conviction.

Trial: Wrongfully convicted persons may also face prosecutorial misconduct during trial. The failure to provide the necessary evidence of innocence is the primary reason why innocent people are convicted during trials.

Post Conviction Proceedings: During the post-conviction proceedings, the Florida Innocence project faces several unique issues regarding wrongful convictions. False results of DNA testing and Y-DNA testing have been pointed out as the primary cause to conviction of innocent persons.

While wrongful conviction statistics have been increasing, the United States Department of Justice and estate justice departments have compensated people who are wrongfully convicted.