...The chapter opens with the story of exoneree compensation reform in Texas, which was driven in large part by the wrongful conviction of Timothy Cole. The authors then cover the breadth of state policy reforms around wrongful convictions but focus on five key priority areas that have been...

...The chapter opens with two cases that were vital to the innocence movement: the wrongful convictions of Gary Dotson in Illinois and David Vasquez in Virginia, who were the first two individuals to be exonerated in the United States using DNA. After telling these stories, the authors provide a big...

...The chapter begins by discussing commentary from the famed novelist John Grisham, who has suggested that the public cares little about fixing the problems associated with wrongful convictions. This prompts the authors to ask, How supportive the public is of innocence reforms, who...

...This chapter examines a variety of prosecutorial choices before trial that may contribute to wrongful convictions, with particular emphasis on decisions about charging crimes. It begins by explaining the rules governing a prosecutor's decision to file a criminal charge before moving to a discussion...

...This chapter focuses on prosecutorial choices before trial that may contribute to wrongful convictions, with particular emphasis on decisions about full disclosure of evidence to the defense. It begins with an overview of the legal and ethical landscape of disclosure and goes on to discuss evidence...

...This chapter considers prosecutorial choices before trial that may contribute to wrongful convictions, with particular emphasis on decisions about plea bargaining. Plea agreements are based on a strong presumption of correctness. The point of plea bargaining is to achieve a quick, tidy, and final...

... of proper summation by prosecutors and goes on to explain how summation misconduct results in wrongful convictions. It then considers the reasons for the prevalence of prosecutorial misconduct during summation and offers suggestions to address the problem of improper closing arguments. closing arguments...

...This chapter begins with a discussion of the podcast Serial, one of the most popular pieces of media to explore a potential wrongful conviction. The authors use this opening to ask, Just how aware is the public of wrongful convictions? They then discuss the growing...

...The chapter begins with the story of Kirk Bloodsworth, the first person in the United States to be exonerated through DNA testing after being sentenced to death. His case, like many others, received significant media attention, which begs the question, What effects do wrongful convictions...

...This book examines how the institutional “prosecution complex” contributes to wrongful convictions for innocent defendants. The book is divided into three parts that correspond to the key phases of a criminal case: pretrial, trial, and post-conviction. Each part begins with a representative story...

...This book concludes by discussing a number of proposals aimed at changing the very role played by prosecutors in investigating and litigating criminal cases. It first argues the need for reforms that fortify the minister-of justice principle and reduce wrongful convictions, based on the idea...