What are the lessons for society and the criminal justice system from CP5?
its time to change the way media covers crime ⭐
After the real rapist confessed, some journalists—not many—conceded that they had bought in too readily to a false narrative concocted by police and prosecutors
the real “wolf pack” had been the media.
too many Falsehoods in media/ exacerbated headlines--- One story included quotes from an unnamed source claiming she’d seen one of the defendants drink his girlfriend’s blood. They served 18 years before being exonerated.
the press, the police, the prosecution are also to blame
rarely is the exoneration covered as heavily as the crime
journalists have also helped drive decades of harsh criminal justice policy.
in the American media, coverage of violent crime rose sharply just as the rate of violent crime actually began to fall
people who watch television news every day are 16 percent more likely to support punitive criminal justice policies.
What Have We Learned Since the Central Park Jogger Case? ⭐
A young white woman is mugged and stabbed “in cold blood,” the mayor says, in a New York City park at nightfall. A group of teenagers from Harlem is accused, and one—in this case, a 13-year-old—admits to being involved under police questioning.
Yet much has changed in the 30 years between these two shocking cases. For one, New York City is far safer now
According to recent studies of teens’ behavior, their “executive function” won’t really be functioning until they are in their mid-20s. Yet their risk-seeking behavior peaks around puberty.
Woolard also noted that teenagers are far more susceptible to peer influence—which is relevant given that the attack on Majors, like many crimes committed by juveniles,
ages should be taken into account when deciding what that punishment should be.
after decades of gridlock, raised the age at which juveniles can be prosecuted as adults, from 16 to 18.
automatically sending juveniles to prison for life with no chance of parole is unconstitutional
public outcry- “I’m just so nervous that we’ll soon be hearing about the need for a ‘Tessa’s Law’” to make sure a 13-year-old doesn’t get off easy again,
kids as young as 13 can still be charged as adults in murder cases. But to do so, prosecutors must be able to prove that the act was depraved or intentional.
“Now we have to decide what we’re willing to do with a 13-year-old. Do we hand down a 30-year sentence and just forget about him?”
urge the public not to repeat the rush to judgment that characterized the Central Park jogger case, which resulted in five innocent teens of color spending years in prison.