Criminal Injustice

Abstract

During the past decade, there has been growing international interest in the topic of wrongful conviction and its serious implications. As in other jurisdictions, Canada has seen several high-profile cases of wrongful conviction that have led to an increased recognition of the fallibility of the criminaljustice process.However, despite increased media attention to the issue, corresponding academic literature on the problem has been limited in this country. This article begins by reviewing the literature on the causes of wrongful conviction and uses examples from Canadian cases as illustrations. Following this, through qualitative interviews with five wrongly convicted Canadians, the article examines some long-termeffects of a wrongfulimprisonmenton individuals and their families both during incarceration and following their release. Finally, government responses to the issue are discussed, illustrating their limitations and their relevance for criminal justice policy and practice.