Jailhouse Informants: Psychological and Legal Perspectives

This book offers a new understanding of jailhouse informants and the role they play in wrongful convictions. It provides psychological research to address how they are used, the number of convictions that have been overturned, and how jurors can be informed about the risks of this type of testimony. It also provides legal remedies to the impact of jailhouse informants and suggests best practices in dealing with jailhouse informant testimony in court.

Format: Paperback / softback
Length: 208 pages
Publication date: 19 February 2022
Publisher: New York University Press

Jailhouse informants, witnesses who testify in criminal trials often in exchange for incentives, hold a significant persuasive power over jurors. These informants typically claim to have heard the defendant confess to a crime while they were incarcerated together. Research indicates that such testimony significantly increases the likelihood of a guilty verdict. However, it is also a leading factor in wrongful convictions. Informants, after all, are generally criminals who offer testimony in return for some key motivator, such as a reduced sentence.

This book provides a comprehensive overview of the history, legal, and psychological issues surrounding the testimony of jailhouse informants. It offers groundbreaking psychological research to address how they are used, the number of convictions that have ultimately been overturned on other evidence, how these informants are perceived in the courtroom, and by what means jurors might be informed about the risks of this type of testimony. The volume also provides a much-needed examination of legal remedies to the impact of jailhouse informants and suggests best practices in dealing with jailhouse informant testimony in court.

There is a critical need to understand the influence of jailhouse informants and how their testimony can best be handled in court in the interests of justice. Jailhouse Informants is the first work of its kind that rises to the challenge of answering these difficult questions.

In conclusion, the testimony of jailhouse informants is a complex and controversial issue that has significant implications for the justice system. This book offers a valuable contribution to our understanding of jailhouse informants and their role in wrongful convictions. By providing a comprehensive overview of the history, legal, and psychological issues surrounding this type of testimony, it provides a foundation for developing effective strategies to address these challenges and ensure that the interests of justice are served.

Weight: 310g
Dimension: 151 x 227 x 15 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781479803316