Overview

The political dynamics that shape the Innocence Movement Since 1989, more than 3000 people are known to have been exonerated after being wrongly convicted in the United States. Each one of these cases represents a gross miscarriage of justice; they are stories of lives upended by a criminal legal system gone awry. Yet, this number just scratches the surface and does not capture the full breadth of wrongful convictions, which may well number in the tens of thousands. The Politics of Innocence explores the political dynamics that have shaped the proliferation of innocence-related policies across the United States and the ways in which wrongful convictions affect public opinion about the criminal legal system. Although some have suggested that this issue transcends ideological divisions, the authors argue that public opinion and the policies that address wrongful convictions are a product of the political landscape. Using original data, the authors show how political ideology influences awareness of the issue, affects support for policy reform, and, in particular electoral contexts, influences state policy adoption. The Politics of Innocence is a moving and data-driven account of wrongful convictions.

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9781479815951

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Anyone curious about the politics surrounding the innocence movement should read this book. The authors here use state-of-the-art methods to understand differences in responses by Americans of different political persuasion and backgrounds to facts and arguments about innocence. The book goes beyond description and history to provide important practical and theoretical lessons. It reaches conclusions important for anyone interested in the future of the innocence movement, in criminal justice reform generally, or for those seeking to understand how social movements affect public opinion. -- Frank R. Baumgartner, co-author of The Decline of the Death Penalty and the Discovery of Innocence. Occasionally we see scholarly explorations of the big picture questions in wrongful convictions research, it's more typical to see books that provide deep exploration into cases, legal and jurisprudence debates, for example. Norris, Hicks, and Mullinix compile this big picture examination of political and policy dimensions of what is to be done now that the tip of the iceberg is more clearly visible. They cover everything from forensic evidence reform to compensation for exonerees, as well as political dimensions of addressing wrongful convictions inclusive of ideological commitments. I did not realize how necessary it was until I read it. It should be standard reading for every scholar in the field, and more importantly, it should be read by every elected official in the United States and beyond. The lessons are vitally important: crime victims deserve better, innocent prisoners deserve better, and their families, communities and all taxpayers deserve better. -- Kimberly J. Cook, author of Shattered Justice: Crime Victims' Experiences with Wrongful Convictions and Exonerations There is enormous concern that fractured politics has caused a democratic crisis in the United States over the last decade. The reality, however, is that crucial state functions have long been politicized; nowhere is this clearer than when it comes to incarceration. In this brilliant book, the authors demonstrate the ideological divisions - on both the macro and micro level - that underlie incarceration and specifically reform efforts via the innocence movement. The authors provide compelling evidence that narratives can bridge political divides and push the state towards more democratic, humane policies. It is a book that anyone who cares about criminal justice and American democracy should read. -- James N. Druckman, author of Experimental Thinking: A Primer on Social Science Experiment

Author Information

Robert J. Norris (Author) Robert J. Norris is Associate Professor in the Department of Criminology, Law and Society at George Mason University. He is the author of Exonerated: A History of the Innocence Movement and coauthor of When Justice Fails: Causes and Consequences of Wrongful Convictions. William D. Hicks (Author) William D. Hicks is Associate Professor of Political Science at Appalachian State University. Kevin J. Mullinix (Author) Kevin J. Mullinix is Associate Professor of Political Science at the University of Kansas.

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