An ecological understanding of wrongful convictions in the U.S. criminal justice system

Abstract

Based on data from the National Registry of Exonerations (NRE), there were over 3,500 wrongful convictions in the United States (U.S.) as of September 13, 2024. By examining the interactions between various individual and social layers, from immediate environments to broader societal influences, this study employs a structural-functional lens to gain in-depth insight on wrongful convictions within the U.S. criminal justice system. Applying an ecological framework offers insights into the complexities that facilitate wrongful convictions. The study examines the factors contributing to wrongful convictions and exonerations in the United States from 1989 to 2024 and synthesizes existing research and data to highlight critical correlations. The study analyzed NRE records, to understand the systemic issues and individual circumstances contributing to these miscarriages of justice. The findings reveal similarities among wrongful convictions and exoneration patterns and correlation between the canonical factors of wrongful conviction—false or misleading forensic evidence, false confession, mistaken witness identification, official misconduct, perjury or false accusation, and inadequate legal defense—as well as interconnectedness between sentence length, and length of time spent incarcerated before exoneration. The study will assist in facilitating dialogue for implementing actionable reforms throughout the criminal justice system to mitigate future wrongful convictions.

Keywords

• Bronfenbrenner’s ecological systems theory
• wrongful conviction
• exoneration
• official misconduct
• eyewitness misidentification
• DNA exoneration