American Justice in the Age of Innocence: Understanding the Causes of Wrongful Convictions and How to Prevent Them

The exoneration of more than two hundred and fifty people who have been wrongfully convicted makes it clear that America's criminal justice system isn't foolproof. It's important to understand the causes of wrongful conviction in order to find solutions to this growing problem. Edited by one of the nation's leading legal scholars and two of her top students, this collection of essays examines critical issues, including - what American justice in the age of innocence looks like; - how to implement procedural mechanisms to ensure the integrity of the judicial system while safeguarding the public; - whether or not the legal system is doing a good enough job uncovering wrongful convictions. This anthology provides insightful lessons based on cutting-edge research and legal analysis. Wrongful convictions are not a foregone conclusion, but the justice system must break free from a pattern of punishing innocent people and go after the true culprits. Written for judges, lawyers and scholars alike, American Justice in the Age of Innocence educates the public and helps current prisoners who are innocent contest their wrongful convictions.

Sandra Guerra Thompson is a professor of law at the University of Houston. She is the representative for the Texas public law schools on the Timothy Cole Advisory Panel on Wrongful Convictions for the Texas Legislature. She edited this book with two of her top students, Hillary K. Valderrama and Jennifer L. Hopgood.