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Junk Science and the American Criminal Justice System
Junk Science and the American Criminal Justice System | M. Chris Fabricant
4 posts | 4 read | 4 to read
An insider's journey into the heart of a broken, racist system of justice and the role junk science plays in maintaining the status quo. From CSI to Forensic Files to the celebrated reputation of the FBI crime lab, "forensic scientists" have long been mythologized in American popular culture as infallible crime solvers. Judges and juries put their faith in "expert witnesses" and innocent people have been executed as a result. Innocent people are on death row today, condemned by junk science. In 2012, the Innocence Project began searching for prisoners convicted by junk science, and three men, each convicted of capital murder, became M. Chris Fabricant's clients. Junk Science and the American Criminal Justice System chronicles the fights to overturn their wrongful convictions and to end the use of the "science" that destroyed their lives. Weaving together courtroom battles from Mississippi to Texas to New York City, Fabricant takes the reader on a journey into the heart of a broken, racist system of justice and the role forensic science plays in maintaining the status quo. At turns gripping, enraging, and moving, Junk Science is a meticulously researched insider's perspective of the American criminal justice system. Previously untold stories of wrongful executions, corrupt prosecutors, and quackery masquerading as science animate Fabricant's astonishing true-crime narrative. The book also features a full-color photo insert that illustrates the junk science explored by the author.
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review
Chelsea.Poole
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Mehso-so

A bit of a flop for me. It was a one-note, super long explanation of the problem of bite mark evidence which has led to multiple wrongful convictions over the years. Several crimes are briefly noted to make the author‘s point but it felt disjointed and repetitive. Some interesting tidbits but I should have bailed.

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SW-T
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Pickpick

An interesting look at how junk science has influenced our criminal justice system and is used to put innocent people in jail. I‘ll admit, I enjoy shows like Law & Order and CSI, but reality is definitely very different. Heartbreaking to think how many people are in imprisoned due to expert testimony that‘s entirely subjective. Very eye opening and informative.

#nonfiction

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stevesbookstuf1
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Pickpick

This was a very interesting, and eye-opening look at how junk science in our criminal justice system continues to be used to convict the innocent. It will leave you frustrated at the state of our justice system. I liked the way the book was put together - how Fabricant lays out the history of junk science while taking you through three Innocence Project cases.

Full Review: https://bit.ly/rvw-JunkSci

stevesbookstuf1 Junk science, by the way, refers to many of those “CSI“ techniques that unfortunately have little scientific basis and are likely doing more harm than good. 2y
19 likes1 comment
blurb
stevesbookstuf1
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My latest haul from @LibraryThing Early Reviewers. As I've mentioned before I love that program. It's a fun & easy way to get a free sneak peek at new books. I mostly request ebooks because I think your chances are better, but I decided to try for the physical book on this one.

The author is an Innocence Project lawyer, & the book is about “the flood of rotten forensics and bogus scientific opinions presented to juries.“ Due out April 5th.

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