Compensating The Innocent, The Costs of Exoneration (case, murder, today)
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I've oftentimes wondered, when you read of someone being released from prison who was eventually found innocent of their crime, how, or if, they compensate these people. A recent Economist article brought this to light.
In Texas, under the state's 2009 Timothy Cole Compensation Act, people wrongfully committed of crimes may collect $80k from the state each year they were imprisoned.
More than half of American's state have similar laws, and they are being put to use.
Louisiana state law provides a measly compensation of $15k a year, up to a maximum of $150,000.
What do you think is fair compensation figure, for someone who was imprisoned for X amount of years and declared innocent?
This is just one more case of making absolutely sure who we send to prison today is innocent or guilty. Prison costs are high enough today, without these added potential compensation costs.
Last edited by tijlover; 04-14-2011 at 09:09 PM..
Reason: edit
In Canada it seems that the average compensation is about a million a year. There is big compensation for other things too. A Canadian who was ratted out to the Homeland security folks there in the USA got 12 million for his troubles. It seems that our security guys CSIS sent the Americans some false things and he was arrested when he went to the USA and renditioned to Syria. It ain't gonna happen too many times when it costs the government 12 mil a pop.
Good post. The state of NC has this compensation and it has been issued several times over the last decade or so. One case was in my city, a man convicted TWICE for murder, served I think 18 years, then ultimately found innocent with use of DNA. Can't remember the figure he received.....
but could it ever be enough???
Quote:
Originally Posted by tijlover
I've oftentimes wondered, when you read of someone being released from prison who was eventually found innocent of their crime, how, or if, they compensate these people. A recent Economist article brought this to light.
In Texas, under the state's 2009 Timothy Cole Compensation Act, people wrongfully committed of crimes may collect $80k from the state each year they were imprisoned.
More than half of American's state have similar laws, and they are being put to use.
Louisiana state law provides a measly compensation of $15k a year, up to a maximum of $150,000.
What do you think is fair compensation figure, for someone who was imprisoned for X amount of years and declared innocent?
This is just one more case of making absolutely sure who we send to prison today is innocent or guilty. Prison costs are high enough today, without these added potential compensation costs.
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