My Argumentative Essay 2% of people in the US prison system are equal to 46,000 people, that’s been convicted of a crime they have not done but are in jail. According to the article “DNA Technology and Crime” “In 1992 lawyers Barry Scheck and Peter Neufeld created the Innocence Project, a legal organization aimed at overturning wrongful conviction through DNA profiling. Since then, more than two hundred criminal convictions have been overturned in the United States alone.” The Innocence Project is needed to help turn over wrongful convictions that were made. The article “DNA Technology and Crime” stated in their article “ DNA was first studied in depth by biologist James Watson and Francis Crick in the early 1950’s. They later won a Nobel
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According to Golway he stated “The innocence project relies on DNA evidence to return the unjustly convicted to freedom.” Ever since DNA testing has been improved the innocence project has been going back to cases that people have told them they have not done and retesting some of the “DNA evidence” that was collected. Golway reports “With two million people serving time in American prisons, the Innocence Project’s mission could hardly be more urgent. How many of those two million have been wrongly convicted?” There could be thousands of people serving time in prison who didn't do the crime that they were committed for, there could be many factors as to why they are in there, a false eye witnesses, lack of evidence to prove innocence, etc. According to the article DNA Technology and Crime “Advancements in DNA profiling have also proven effective in overturning convictions against alleged criminals whose DNA does not match old samples related to their case.” The improvements made for DNA profiling has gotten innocent people out of jail and then try to get the person who committed the crime. Some people could spend months, sometimes years and some have gotten the death penalty, because of the lack of DNA that was collected or used in the crime. Some people who have been gone for years, aren't up to date with how society would be, …show more content…
An example of this was written by Neufeld “Willingham was convicted of intentionally setting fire to his house in which he and his three young daughters resided...He was executed by the State of Texas in 2004...In the last five years, the conclusions were proven to be without scientific basis by the top arson investigators in the nation, all of whom concluded that the fire was accidental in origin.” He didn’t get out of prison in time to be a free person. Another example would be from the article “ DNA Technology and crime” “Kirk Bloodsworth was convicted of raping and murdering a nine-year-old girl in 1985. After eight years in prison- two of which was spent on death row- DNA analysis of the victim’s underwear showed that Boodsworth’s DNA did not match the samples believed to belong to the murderer. Years later, the real killer was identified through a match in the DNA database system.” this would be how the innocence project helps, if not for them he could’ve gotten the death penalty. Another example that Neufeld wrote about was Roy Brown “Roy Brown was convicted of a 1991 murder and spent 15 years in prison for a crime he did not commit...Although that mark had two more upper teeth than he had, Roy was sentenced to 25 years to life.” The people who were behind this case did not look close enough to see that there were two more upper teeth that Roy
According to Golway he stated “The innocence project relies on DNA evidence to return the unjustly convicted to freedom.” Ever since DNA testing has been improved the innocence project has been going back to cases that people have told them they have not done and retesting some of the “DNA evidence” that was collected. Golway reports “With two million people serving time in American prisons, the Innocence Project’s mission could hardly be more urgent. How many of those two million have been wrongly convicted?” There could be thousands of people serving time in prison who didn't do the crime that they were committed for, there could be many factors as to why they are in there, a false eye witnesses, lack of evidence to prove innocence, etc. According to the article DNA Technology and Crime “Advancements in DNA profiling have also proven effective in overturning convictions against alleged criminals whose DNA does not match old samples related to their case.” The improvements made for DNA profiling has gotten innocent people out of jail and then try to get the person who committed the crime. Some people could spend months, sometimes years and some have gotten the death penalty, because of the lack of DNA that was collected or used in the crime. Some people who have been gone for years, aren't up to date with how society would be, …show more content…
An example of this was written by Neufeld “Willingham was convicted of intentionally setting fire to his house in which he and his three young daughters resided...He was executed by the State of Texas in 2004...In the last five years, the conclusions were proven to be without scientific basis by the top arson investigators in the nation, all of whom concluded that the fire was accidental in origin.” He didn’t get out of prison in time to be a free person. Another example would be from the article “ DNA Technology and crime” “Kirk Bloodsworth was convicted of raping and murdering a nine-year-old girl in 1985. After eight years in prison- two of which was spent on death row- DNA analysis of the victim’s underwear showed that Boodsworth’s DNA did not match the samples believed to belong to the murderer. Years later, the real killer was identified through a match in the DNA database system.” this would be how the innocence project helps, if not for them he could’ve gotten the death penalty. Another example that Neufeld wrote about was Roy Brown “Roy Brown was convicted of a 1991 murder and spent 15 years in prison for a crime he did not commit...Although that mark had two more upper teeth than he had, Roy was sentenced to 25 years to life.” The people who were behind this case did not look close enough to see that there were two more upper teeth that Roy