By now most of you know that my latest writing projects are centered around the macabre, the weird, criminal activity and helpful information that will assist people in any phase of life. Some of you may remember the article I wrote about why executions were traditionally carried out at night and others might remember the articles on two famous serial killers.
A member in a forum (mylot) that I belong to wanted to know about why executions were done at night and so I researched the question. Whereas gather’s very own Kathryn E suggested that I write about the Innocence Project and so I will. If anyone else would like me to research any topic just email me or pm me or leave a comment in one of the forums I belong to and I will do my best to get the information for you.
If you go to the website for The Innocence Project one of the first things that you will notice is the organization’s mandate:
The Innocence Project is a National Litigation and public policy organization dedicated to exonerating wrongfully convicted people through DNA testing and reforming the criminal justice system to prevent future injustice.” http://www.innocenceproject.org/
Let me repeat … and reforming the criminal justice system to prevent future injustice.” This is a mighty big task for an adequate but flawed legal system.
I don’t by any means accuse the USA of having the only flawed system. The American system is no worst than any other system in the world. My own country Canada and just about every western legal system in the world have made mistakes. The trouble is when a mistake leads to a person being incarcerated for decades on end or worst still, given the death penalty and thus losing his or her life altogether, a simple apology, or an admission that a mistake was made just does not cut it.
It doesn’t make a difference that the innocence are released and frankly it doesn’t make a difference to the family if a remuneration is paid out.
* How can you put a price on freedom?
* How much is a man or woman’s life worth?
* How much money can bring back the loss of a lifetime, the loss of family and friends, gainful employment, and social activities?
* How much money can be given out for losing the right to meet and fall in love, marry and start a family after the incarceration, especially if the person was incarcerated at a very young age?
* How much should be given for losing the right to simply get up and go to bed or walk out of the prison gates at anytime?
* Furthermore, can any amount of money replace time and a lifetime of events lost forever?
Just ask Steven Barnes, who is also featured on the front page of the Innocence Project website. Mr. Barnes spent decades in prison for a crime he did not commit. Only after DNA testing did the New York justice system realize that he did not commit the murder he was blamed for. Steve says,
“”People Don’t Value Freedom Until It’s Gone”
According to Correction Services Canada, Canada abolished the death penalty in 1976. http://www.csc-scc.gc.ca/hist/1900/index-eng.shtml
The last man hanged in my country was 1962, as confirmed by Amnesty International. http://www.amnesty.ca/deathpenalty/canada.php
However, that still did not free the innocent who were incarcerated for murders they did not commit. The John Howard Society in Canada works in a similar fashion to that of the Innocence Project to help free innocence individuals caught up in the system due to an error in the legal process and to rehabilitate ex criminals and ease them back into the community. It is an ongoing fight for both countries to help create a better justice system that will incarcerate the criminals and rehabilitate them if their mandate requires that step, and fight for the rights of the innocent.
Fortunately today DNA testing has reformed the face of the Justice System in all Western Countries. However the people involved with the Innocent Project say it is still not enough.
The men and women dedicated to continually improving the system in terms of its accuracy (getting the right people behind bars), work throughout the legal system collaborating with policy makers, prosecutors, defense attorneys, law enforcement officers, victims and families of victims to advocate for change and provide support and information to the victims, and families of victims across the board.
Taken directly from the Innocence Project site:
Innocence Project and its partner successes include but is not limited to:
• Reformed eyewitness identification procedures in major cities including Boston and Minneapolis
• Started the recording of interrogations in dozens of cities and towns
• Strictly regulated the use of jailhouse snitches in two Canadian provinces
The Innocence Project and its partners also pursue policy reforms on related issues that benefit people who have been wrongfully convicted and help improve law enforcement practices.
For more information on the wonderful Innocence Project program visit: http://www.innocenceproject.org/fix/
