(Brixton Prison Photo by: Adrian Dennis / PA Archive)
Annons
Annons
Annons
Annons
Far from being blips in the system, those on the frontline fighting miscarriages feel that the number of wrongful convictions are on the rise. This is due in part to the withdrawal of legal aid and because juries place too much trust in circumstantial evidence presented by the police.Applications for appeal by serving prisoners are often rejected on technicalities, and changes to the law have also made it more difficult for victims of miscarriages of justice to claim compensation.To Paul Mclaughlin, MOJO's co-project manager, who sees the day-to-day effects of a miscarriage of justice on its victim's mental health, the criminal justice system is failing to deliver justice."Every person I've dealt with who has had their conviction quashed has suffered severe mental health problems. Often they have experienced trauma, and there are instances of alcoholism and drug dependancy," he says. "It happens every day that ordinary people can't get represented properly, and if they are the victim of an injustice they can't have their position adequately examined – almost always because of a lack of financial support."However, preventing miscarriages of justice and the potential mental health effects on their victims is not just a question of reforming the judicial system as a whole, but a change in public attitudes towards those wrongfully convicted.@TheJayTodayMore from VICE:Why Is Britain Pushing for an EU Trade Deal Before Parliament Can Vote On It?Revealed: The Army's 'Study Tours' Are Luxury Trips to Meet DictatorsThis Is What It's Like to Be Britain's Youngest Mayor