Nicole: Do you believe false reports are a main factor of wrongful convictions?

Mcnamara: False reports are a main factor of wrongful convictions. Police officers have a set system on how reports are made, how reports are handled and the investigation behind reports and when that system isn’t followed, wrongful conviction occurs.

Westbrook: I would definitely agree with what you’re saying Mcnamara’s and to follow up with that, it is a known statistic fact that false accusations ( false reports ) are one of the known factors that have gotten individuals sent to prison; So now it longer is a question but a fact, wrongful convictions are a main factor of wrongful convictions.

Nicole: I definitely agree, wrongful convictions rates skyrocketed off on false accusations and false reports alone, the worst part is that its been going on for years. With that being said, do you feel like false reports that have led to wrongful convictions are not given much attention? If so, why do you feel like wrongful convictions do not receive the publicity and attention that it should receive?

Westbrook: I believe wrongful convictions are given attention, lots of attention in fact, from social media, articles, movies and so on; But we have to understand that although things are receiving attention it doesn’t mean it’s the correct attention nor is it stopping these wrongful convictions. When these wrongful convictions are not placed in light it means we are not holding the people who are supposed to keep us safe and the justice system overall accountable for their actions, especially when their efforts to fix this will be costly.

Mcnamara: I would agree with Bruce but I feel like he’s missing something, because false reports that have led to wrongful convictions definitely do get attention but no actions to improve the situation has occurred. There is always two people wrong in a situation, the person who committed the crime and the person/environment that allowed this, and what I mean by that is our system is not designed to help us, we allow these cops to do whatever they want, they aren’t thoroughly checking reports, their allowing false reports to be okay because they never follow through with the consequences. How often do you see the accuser going to jail for filing a false report or fake allegation? It’s rare. 

Nicole: That is true, when you don’t hold people accountable for their mistakes and you don’t approach the situation, people will continue to do what they’re doing because there is no consequences. Although false reports will never stop, how can we prevent these false reports from creating even more situations that lead to people being wrongfully convicted, and how do you personally feel about false reports and their leading factors?

Mcnamara: The best thing to do to crack down on false reports and wrongful convictions is by having people do their job correctly and if not then consequences should be followed. When reports are made police have to follow a certain system which includes an investigation, if people followed the system correctly, step by step, and were held accountable for any mischievous acts done this wouldn’t be an issue at all. I feel that false reports ruins opportunities for real victims to receive the help they need.

B.Westbrook: Mcnamara you’re definitely right about our justice system and what needs to be fixed. Without people properly doing their job it makes it more difficult for everyone, so yea I agree, our system needs to be followed in the way that it is placed. I don’t have any personal feelings towards false reports, I just believe that false reports are becoming a huge leading factor to wrongful convictions and it is something that can be fixed just by people simply doing their job, it isn’t fair to anyone.