Wrongful Convictions

3 credits · Undergraduate

(3 hrs Seminar/Discussion) This course uses an interdisciplinary lens to examine the issue of wrongful convictions in Canada. A combination of legal and social-science perspectives and readings will be used to identify how and why wrongful convictions take place and to discuss evidence-based remedies to reduce their likelihood. Topics may include the roles of: eyewitness memory; false confessions; plea bargaining; forensic biases; prosecutors and defense counsel; misleading scientific evidence; and unsavoury Crown witnesses. Restrictions: Honours Form Required. Instructor Permission Required. Requisite Courses: CJ-2130(3) and CJ-3130(3) [prerequisite(s)].