Textbook Readings Read the following chapters from your textbook that will introduce you to key concepts that will be used during the week:
Chapter 12 Death Penalty Text: This section of chapter 12 outlines the common arguments for the death penalty, some of the essential flaws, and evolving trends.
Chapter 2 The Decline of the Death Penalty Text: This chapter examines death penalty trends and how Americans have viewed the death penalty.
Chapter 3 of The Decline of the Death Penalty text: This chapter examines the history behind the innocence movement and the innocence frame and how this came to be.
Articles and other resources Why The Death Penalty Should Live Article: From TIME: This is a victim’s account and perspective on the death penalty
Causes of Wrongful Conviction Article: From Western Michigan University: This article summarizes research on the leading causes of wrongful convictions.
Compensation Should Always be Available to the Wrongfully Convicted Article: From the Harvard Civil Rights: Civil Liberties Law Review summarizes the different situations in which compensation is provided or can be sought for wrongful convictions and the barriers many of those set free must undergo to receive the compensation.
Will the State Pay You for a Wrongful Conviction? Depends on the State Article: From ABC News: This article provides case examples of individuals seeking compensation for wrongful convictions and some of the variations among different states. Compensating the Wrongly Convicted Article: From Innocent Project: This article summarizes the state by state differences in compensation for the wrongfully convicted.
Optional Visit Innocent Project
Visit National Registry of Exonerations
Week 7 Video: Just Wrong: The Aftermath of Wrongful Convictions (19:40)
The video examines the impact of wrongful convictions on the individuals who were charged, their family members, and the crime victim. The video examines the impact of wrongful convictions on the individuals who were charged, their family members, and the crime victims.

Video not loading? Watch on YouTube.
After reviewing this week’s website articles and the video, discuss the issues around compensation for the wrongfully convicted. For example, what do you believe should be the appropriate compensation to those found to be wrongfully convicted? Should it vary by situation?
Should each individual state make this determination, or should there be a federal standard that applies across all states? Should it be limited to monetary compensation, or should other forms of compensation and services be included?
Should the burden of proof that is needed to receive compensation fall so heavily on the wrongfully convicted? Explain why.