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This Week in Criminal Justice Reform
An op-ed about the problems with Texas's process for providing counsel to indigent defendants argues that there is no price that can be put on constitutional rights when it comes to giving adequate counsel to defendants who can't afford it. (star-telegram.com)
Grits for Breakfast examines one of the many problems at a troubled Houston crime lab: a "team spirit" mentality that places lab workers in a mindset that they are on the prosecution's team. (gritsforbreakfast.com)
Mississippi has its own forensics problem. Lack of funding has resulted in too few DNA analysts and no full-time medical examiner - most of its investigations for capital crimes are handled by local coroners. This Clarion-Ledger editorial worries that faulty forensics will mean more innocent people in prison in Mississippi. (clarionledger.com)
Alabama is one of seven states that does not grant DNA testing to death row inmates. With more convictions being overturned by DNA evidence, and more perpetrators being brought to justice as a result, why doesn't the governor want to start allowing it? (al.com)
Before there was DNA evidence, there was forensic dentistry, or bite-mark analysis - and the two don't always point in the same direction. The occurrence of prisoners who were convicted based on bite-mark analysis, only to be exonerated years later by DNA evidence has begun to cast doubt on what critics claim is junk science. (chicagotribune.com)
The Justice Project, an organization which works to increase fairness and accuracy in the American criminal justice system, is proud to sponsor the Justice Newsladder, a new tool to find the top news and articles about criminal justice reform.
Comments (1)
Excellent Post. Please keep posting these on these critical issues. I strongly rec'd.
We all need to be more aware regarding this field.
Thanks.
July 15, 2008 1:45 AM | Reply | Permalink
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