After Innocence. Dir. Jessica Sanders. DVD. American Film Foundation, 2005.
Jessica Sander’s documentary, After Innocence, details seven innocent men who were wrongfully accused. These men, some incarcerated for over 20 years, have been released from prison after proving their convictions false. With the help of The Innocent Project, these men were confirmed innocent using DNA evidence. This compelling film shows the troubles these men face transitioning back into society after proven innocent. It addresses the faults of the corrupt criminal system while showing tough obstacles the guiltless men face after set free.
This documentary was an amazing eye opener on a current issue. It was not only incredibly informative on the falsely accused, but very interesting. The director presented stories of the exonerated and the problems in the justice system very effectively. One researching the faulty court system and the positives of using genetic DNA to prove innocence might find this film extremely helpful. Although, very interesting and informative, the film could have included more information on the legal process and the use of DNA evidence. In watching the documentary, one sees the amount of credibility through interviews with the victims, their families, and lawyers.
“Convicted Murderer Refuses to Take Stand." The Press 24 May 2007, sec. News: 5.
Lexis Nexis Academic. Middleton Library, Baton Rouge. 15 Apr. 2008.
Keyword: DNA testing.
“Convicted Murderer Refuses to Take Stand" reveals a court case where one 31-year-old man faces trial for the murder of a prostitute. He was found with scratches on his face, found driving the Honda Prelude the victim was picked up in, and matched the DNA found in a condom with the prostitute. The accused man admits to having sex with the victim earlier the night of her murder. He argues his problem with how the DNA evidence was gathered from the police, infringing on his rights. A second sample was taken from the suspect without informing him of what it might be used to prove.
This article is hard to understand, as it is written more as a court case than a column in the newspaper. The author seems credible, telling the story of the case as if he was there in person. Although, the court case is presented efficiently, one might not find this article of much use unless looking for an example of a case where DNA evidence was used. The choppy flow makes the lines hard to follow and comprehend. In reading this article, one might find their mind wandering off track and having to re-read each line in order to extract the meaning of the writing.
"DNA Evidence Frees Falsely Accused." USA Today. Mar. 2005. Society for the
Advancement of Education. 17 Apr. 2008
Since 1989, 328 falsely accused have been set free with the help of DNA evidence. This article reveals a study showing countless false convictions that are left undiscovered and problems in the justice system that remain hidden. This study details the three most common reasons for faulty accusations, including false identifications, perjury, and dishonest confessions. The author goes on to suggest videotaping interrogations by the police and addressing racial discrimination within the judicial system might prevent the flaws in within the criminal system.
“DNA Evidence Frees Falsely Accused” establishes credibility in citing a few situations where the justice system fails and revealing scientific studies. In reading this relatively current article, one might hope for a bit more detail on the flaws in court cases instead of a brief overview. It brings up interesting reasons for false accusation, which most articles might overlook. Overall, the piece flows well and gets straight to the point.
"How DNA Evidence Works." How Stuff Works. 17 Apr. 2008
Different methods exist in DNA testing, depending on the purpose. Since such methods require an intense amount of work, robots or machines can now complete these tasks. Restriction Fragment Length Polymorphism examines the length of a DNA strand. This test only works with a large sample of uncontaminated DNA. Polymerase Chain Reaction analyzes DNA by making many equal copies of smaller sections. Short Trandem Repeat, the most commonly used test, inspects how often bases repeat in a particular location of the DNA.
“How DNA Evidence Works” gives an overview of the different ways to go about a DNA test. Someone investigating the process of extracting genetic DNA might find this article appealing. Although a scientific article, the author provides facts in a comprehendible way that makes sense. It did not go into too much detail as to confuse the reader, but stuck to the purpose of the article. The methods are broken up into individual paragraphs, allowing easy reading. Overall, the author presents an informative style of writing with a good flow.
Inciardi, James A. Examining the Justice Process: A Reader. Fort Worth: Harcourt Brace
College, 1996. 1-477.
Inciardi’s Examining the Justice Process contains twenty-six papers on the view of the criminal system. These papers detail procedures and problems in the justice system overlooked by the press. The book focuses on basic areas on the nature of crime, criminal law, the police, courts, punishments, and juvenile justice.
Inciardi’s book seems designed for those researching the justice system and crime in society. He immediately establishes credibility in the preface by stating the papers received reviews by several instructors and students. References of sources are found throughout the book along with tables and surveys. After reading Examining the Justice Process, one will feel well informed on the entire criminal-justice process. Although at times hard to read, as sentences are lengthy and detailed, the overall writing style is easy to understand.
Pedrasa, Ira May Joyce P. "Supreme Court Issues Rules on DNA Evidence." Business
World 16 Oct. 2007, sec. S1. Lexis Nexis Academic. Middleton Library,
Baton Rouge. 15 Apr. 2008. Keyword: DNA testing.
The Supreme Court issued rules on the testing of DNA in court cases. The rules address the application of DNA testing, assessment of the use of evidence, and the benefits of using the genetic data after convictions. In order to use DNA evidence without directive or post-conviction, one must ask the court for permission. Courts will allow testing only if DNA proves relevant to the case, possibility of producing new evidence, and if DNA previously was not examined. Results should remain confidential and information revealed to only those authorized.
“Supreme Court Issues Rules on DNA Evidence" is an informative piece on the control the Supreme Court holds over the criminal system. It proves useful to those who study the government and possibly the corruption incorporated into the courts. After reading this article, one might wonder why the Supreme Court possesses such an incredible amount of power over evidence. This article exhibits credibility, seeming well researched and given a lot of thought. A reader might find some areas of the article hard to read, as it uses big words and jargons. However, the article gets right to the point and does not give an overabundance of information.
Rossi, Peter H., and Richard A. Berk. Just Punishments: Federal Guidelines and Public
Views Compared. Hawthorne: Transaction, 1997. 1-239.
In Rossi and Berk’s Just Punishments, the U.S sentencing commission’s punishment guidelines are compared to the ideas of the American public’s. The authors achieve this comparison through taking surveys of Americans beliefs on fair penalties. Sample surveys combined with random experiments were used as a research method. The book not only addresses the agreement between these two parties but also social norms, individual factors in sentencing, and crime examples.
Just Punishments brings up the interesting issue of agreement between the American public and the American court system. This informative book proves credible, showing graphs, statistics, and tables of studies completed. One might find this piece useful in examining the justice system’s guidelines. Sentences flow well and do not drag on with too much detail. The authors accomplish providing an informative book on this issue while writing in a simplistic style, making it easy for the reader to grasp the ideas at hand.
Thornton, Chris. "Guilt and Innocence Put Under the Microscope." Belfast Telegraph 12
Sept. 2007. Lexis Nexis Academic. Middleton Library, Baton Rouge. 16
Mar. 2008. Keyword: DNA evidence.
While fingerprints have been used in courts for around 20 years, DNA evidence is a new upcoming way to present evidence. While fingerprints may not show up at the scene of the crime from wearing a pair of gloves, DNA can be found from any bodily substance left behind. Some argue that one person’s DNA might be mistaken for another’s. However, scientists assert they can match one person’s DNA exactly if given something as simple as a sample of hair, skin, fingernail, blood, or spit. In the past few years, the falsely accused have benefited from the use of DNA evidence proving their innocence. Defense lawyers can only argue the mishandling of DNA, not the evidence itself.
“Guilt and Innocence Put Under the Microscope” is a very informative piece. The author seems credible, using several circumstances to back up statements. He does not try and use scientific words to baffle the audience, but instead writes in a simple style that is easy to read and understand. This article is useful in researching the use of DNA evidence and situations it might be used in. It does not show bias, but instead informs readers on the pros and cons of the DNA use in the court system.
Violante, Victor. "DNA Evidence 'Strong Link' in Sex Assault." Canberra Times 25 Apr.
2007, Final ed. Lexis Nexis Academic. Middleton Library, Baton Rouge.
16 Apr. 2008. Keyword: DNA evidence.
"DNA Evidence 'Strong Link' in Sex Assault" talks about a sex assault case in Australia. The forensic tests found DNA evidence lying on the victim’s articles of clothing. These tests link the bodily fluids found in the bra and pants of the victim to the attacker. However, this evidence qualifies as “extremely strong evidence” meaning that there remains a high ratio of people who contain the same genetic profile as the assailant. Also, the DNA testing cannot prove the evidence evolved from the scene of the crime.
This article proves very useful to those researching situations where DNA evidence is used in court cases. It may not be helpful to those explaining the positives in using DNA in court. Rather, this article gives an overview of how the genetic data cannot support one man’s conviction. The author presents his research in a credible manner, showing statistics, citing scientists, and quoting lawyers. He writes in a simple style, easy to follow and comprehend.
Wood, Daniel B. "DNA Testing: No Longer Just for Prosecuters." Christian Science
Monitor 18 Sept. 2000, sec. USA. Academic Search Complete. EBSCO.
Middleton Library, Baton Rouge. 17 Apr. 2008. Keyword: DNA evidence.
California law requires DNA evidence to be held on file for as long as a convicted criminal remains behind bars. Also, a bill was passed allowing a prisoner to request DNA that relates to the crime costing between three and five thousand dollars, as long as not previously tested. Six other states will allow a convicted person to use DNA testing, but only those who face the death penalty. Those against using genetic evidence argue that privacy issues might be affected. However, supporters stand strong in that DNA evidence gives the innocent locked behind bars the hope of seeing their deserved freedom once again.
“DNA Testing: No Longer Just for Prosecuters" would interest those researching the states use of DNA evidence. This article effectively presents information on California’s reasons to keep DNA evidence on file as well as why some refuse to support this bill. It illustrates the usefulness of keeping DNA on file and the importance of justice. The author presents himself credible, quoting authoritative people associated with the American Civil Liberties Union and the US Justice Department. Overall, the article flows well and proves the point successfully.
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