Kaplan University free essay sample

Wrongful Convictions and the Utilization Eyewitness Accounts Kaplan University Professor Janice Walton CJ266-03: Deviance and Violence 12/5/2013 In our society today many innocent people have been sent to jail on false identification by victims or witnesses. We will be identifying the ethical issues within the field of criminal investigation as applied to wrongful conviction based upon tainted or faulty line-ups. Addressing the ethical responsibilities of law enforcement in their requirements for fairness and responsibility to ensure there are no wrongful convictions based upon false identification. Identifying the processes utilized by law enforcement in the identification of suspects. Also to consider individuals making identifications, do so in error at times, others intentionally, or are led by law enforcement through improper actions, such as prejudicial line-ups or photo arrays. There are many honest and ethical law enforcement officers in the United States justice system, there are also some law enforcement individuals who unfortunately commit misconduct with regard to the crimes that they are investigating. We will write a custom essay sample on Kaplan University or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page A majority of cases in the United States have been known as wrongly identified. In some rare cases law enforcement officers have persuaded the victim or witnesses with ideas and hints towards what they want them to choice in a line up or photo identification. There have been many instances where police misconduct has resulted in wrongful convictions. Law enforcement officers have the task of interrogating witnesses, eliciting confessions, and interviewing witnesses to crimes. During the process, police officers may or may not indirectly or on purpose influence the statements of both witnesses and suspects. For instance, a police officer who believes a suspect to be guilty of a crime might place a lot inappropriate pressure on the suspect for a confession for a crime that he or she did not commit. Improper police tactics such as these can result in wrongful convictions, and also can be appealable later and the suspect later exonerated. There are many differences between a faulty or legitimate identification in law enforcement. Faulty identification is when a law enforcement officer works badly or undependably because of imperfections in a case. A legitimate identification is when they conform to the law or to rules making it justifiable or lawful. Some examples were given before to identify an individual in a wrongful way. Wrongful Conviction is when a person accused of a crime which, in the result of subsequent investigation, proves inaccurate. A legitimate way to identify a suspect is by doing everything by the book and law enforcement officers not being too anxious to get a suspect to convict. In United States eyewitness misidentification is the single greatest cause of wrongful convictions nationwide, which nearly 75% of convictions reversed over DNA testing. Two individuals who are examples of wrongful convictions are Calvin Willis and Terrell West. Calvin Willis was wrongfully convicted of aggravated rape in 1982, was released in 2003 because of DNA clearing him of the crime. Terrell West was wrongly identified of robbery in a photographic lineup December 6, 2011 and nine months later he walked out of the court a free man. West was a patient at Stamford Hospital at the time of the robbery that is what his attorney pointed out. These are two perfect examples of law enforcement officers just rushing a case without thinking it out thoroughly. In conclusion, I have identified the ethical issues within the field of criminal investigation as applied to wrongful conviction based upon tainted or faulty line-ups. Addressed the ethical responsibilities of law enforcement in their requirements for fairness and responsibility to ensure there are no wrongful convictions based upon false identification. Identified the process utilized by law enforcement in the identification of suspects. Also to considered individuals making identifications, do so in error at times, others intentionally, or are led by law enforcement through improper actions, such as prejudicial line-ups or photo arrays. References: 1. http://www. innocenceproject. org/Content/Calvin_Willis. php 2. http://www. ctpost. com/news/article/Identity-crisis-Eyewitness-ID-s-come-under-3466754. php 3. Hickey, E. W. (2006) Serial murderers and their victims (4th ed. ). Belmont, CA: Cengage Learning