Wrongful convictions are an unfortunate, but common occurrence handed down by the United States justice system. While the mantra has always been “innocent until proven guilty,” for some parties, it felt like and resulted in the opposite – “guilty until proven innocent,” or a more widespread term; exonerated.
False convictions are a nationwide problem that has led to over 22,000 years lost behind bars, and that number only represents those falsely convicted that have been exonerated since 1989.
Crime rates in the U.S. have experienced a significant shift over the past 30 years. Specifically, violent crime rates have faced varying changes over recent years.
FBI statistics report a 49% national decrease in violent crime rates between 1993-2017. Domestic factors, such as changing a political environment and cultural dynamics, contribute to a variety of fluctuations in crime-related trends.
Did you know that possession of leaf marijuana is a misdemeanor, but possession of THC/CBD edibles is a felony in South Dakota? The Senate Judiciary committee struck down a bill designed to equalize these punishments in February 2019.
