Safe Convictions

Abstract

It is clear today that there is a significant phenomenon of wrongful convictions. Since safety theory and safety measures are not developed in the criminal justice system, we have to learn it from other areas, where modern safety is common practice, such as aviation, transportation and engineering. The article proposes some general principles for modern safety from false convictions, based on principles guiding other areas, as well as specific modern safety methods that can and should be applied in the criminal justice system, including: Establishing a “Safety in the Criminal Justice System Institute”; Enforcing accident (false convictions) and incident reporting duties; Developing education, training and a culture of safety; Applying “Identify-Analyze-Control” using the innovative STAMP safety model (“System-Theoretic Accident Model and Processes”); Creating redundancy; and Conducting an ongoing process of improvement. The high rate of false convictions is not an inevitable fate.