Problems and Reforms Needed in the Us Criminal Justice System

Richardson’s case did not agree that his mental illness was responsible for his crime. In fact many jurors do not understand the insanity defense. Most believe that the defendant will be released back to society instead of a psychiatric facility (Lyons). 

Defense attorneys and many academics believe that wrongful convictions occur frequently and require a change in our criminal system. Prosecutors, police and other academics  think that wrongful convictions do not occur often enough for system reforms to be necessary (Weinberg). One wrongful conviction can kill an innocent person. Reform is  necessary to save the lives of individuals who are wrongfully convicted. Not only does a wrongful conviction keep an innocent person in prison, it also provides the actual criminal more opportunities and time to commit another crime. (Weinberg). Whether someone dies, or gets released after proven innocence, they have either lost their life or lost many years of their life for a sentence they should not have served. “Nobody knows how many innocent men and women are serving prison terms for crimes they did not commit (Weinberg). Walter McMillion and his family suffered from his wrongful convictions and no one should have to lose precious time with family due to our criminal systems mistakes.  

In conclusion, the criminal justice system needs to be reformed to protect mentally ill and innocent defendants. A life is too precious to be ended by a jurors' ignorance towards mental illness and lack of evidence presented in court. It is scary to imagine the possibility of being sentenced to death if I was innocent. There must be a punishment for guilty defendants, however I do not believe the death penalty is not the right choice. The sentencing of another human being to death is an unjust punishment.