Maia Wenger
Wrongful convictions are a known by-product of our criminal legal system. Lengthy wait
times before trial, faulty eyewitness testimony, “tunnel vision” on behalf of police and
prosecutors, false confessions, forensic errors, and systemic discrimination all play a role in
wrongful convictions. An area of particular concern in Canada is the continued defunding of
public legal services.
Legal services are in a state of crisis, and access to justice continues to be a problem
faced by many Canadians. Many people lack access to adequate representation because they
cannot afford it and are ineligible for public legal services. COVID-19 has exasperated this
disparity. In Ontario, the government has slashed legal aid funding repeatedly over the last few
years. This means many marginalized people will be forced into situations where they may feel
pressured to plead guilty to avoid the costs associated with retaining a lawyer or going to trial. In
order to combat wrongful convictions, an important step is to ensure that every individual has
access to adequate and affordable legal representation.
Sources:
—https://uoftlawclsa.weebly.com/blog/against-the-height-of-injustice-in-conversation-with-
bhavan-sodhi-of-innocence-canada
—https://wmich.edu/sociology/causes-wrongful-conviction
—https://www.thestar.com/news/canada/2020/07/13/legal-aid-ontario-facing-up-to-70-million-
funding-drop-amid-covid-19-perfect-storm.html
—https://www.cba.org/CMSPages/GetFile.aspx?guid=0bca7740-5d06-4435-8b4d-
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