Degree Name
MA (Master of Arts)
Program
Criminal Justice and Criminology
Date of Award
12-2010
Committee Chair or Co-Chairs
Larry S. Miller
Committee Members
Dennis Hamm, John Briley
Abstract
Our criminal justice system works very hard to prevent criminals from harming other individuals; however, unfortunately mistakes happen. One wrongful conviction is one too many. There are multiple factors that can be assumed to be the cause of wrongful convictions. However, due to the lack of directly related research, the determents are not well established. The following research addresses wrongful convictions as a result of public defender representation. Through the process of theory construction, the research uses critical race theory and social disorganization theory to show the relationship between court appointed representation and wrongful convictions. A new theory is also established that is referred to as the partial load reduction theory. This theory establishes the relationship that exists between wrongful convictions and public defender representation and provides solutions as well as new avenues for future research.
Document Type
Thesis - unrestricted
Recommended Citation
Ross, Annie Elizabeth, "Wrongful Convictions as a Result of Public Defender Representation." (2010). Electronic Theses and Dissertations. Paper 1761. https://dc.etsu.edu/etd/1761
Copyright
Copyright by the authors.