冤罪

A miscarriage of justice, also known as a wrongful conviction, occurs when a person deemed a suspect is actually innocent, but is convicted and penalized in a judicial verdict. Miscarriages of justice can lead to the execution or death in prison of the individual, and the overturning of the verdict often takes years. The causes of wrongful convictions are complex, including mistaken eyewitness identification, perjury, flawed forensic evidence, false confessions by the accused, misconduct by police and judicial personnel, and inadequate defense. Even in fair and just circumstances, miscarriages of justice can result from errors in expert testimony, contamination of evidence, and other factors. Studies show that about 2.3%-11.6% of prisoners in the United States may be innocent, and that the error rate for death penalty convictions is as high as 4.1%. Miscarriages of justice not only cause great harm to victims but also allow the real perpetrators to go free. To resolve the problem of wrongful convictions, efforts should focus on enhancing the quality of investigation, trial, and defense, as well as implementing the presumption of innocence, due process, and evidence-based judgment. Some regions have compensation systems for wrongful convictions, but the harm to victims is often irreparable. Organizations such as the "Innocence Project" are dedicated to overturning wrongful convictions and raising public awareness.