Assessing Compensation Statutes For The Wrongly Convicted

ASU Author/Contributor (non-ASU co-authors, if there are any, appear on document)
Dr.. Robert Norris, Assistant Professor of Criminal Justice (Creator)
Institution
Appalachian State University (ASU )
Web Site: https://library.appstate.edu/

Abstract: As the discovery of wrongful convictions grows, so does concern in the legal community and public sphere about actual innocence. Though research on miscarriages of justice has grown tremendously, most has focused on the factors contributing to wrongful convictions, with relatively little attention paid to the post-release struggles of exonerees. Specifically, social scientists have not yet examined policies designed to assist the exonerated in their return to society. This study provides a content analysis of existing compensation statutes for the wrongly convicted. Results show that just more than half of American states have compensation statutes for exonerees, and the assistance offered varies tremendously from state to state. Assessing current statutes in comparison to a model standard indicates that whereas some jurisdictions provide fairly comprehensive packages, others offer little in the way of reentry assistance. The importance of such statutes and implications for the wrongly convicted are discussed.

Additional Information

Publication
Robert J. Norris (2012) "Assessing Compensation Statutes For The Wrongly Convicted" Criminal Justice Policy Review 23(3) 352 –374 [DOI: 10.1177/0887403411409916] Version Of Record Available At www.journals.sagepub.com
Language: English
Date: 2012
Keywords
wrongful conviction, miscarriage of justice, compensation, criminal justice policy, state harm

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