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- Title
PSYCHOLOGICAL CONSEQUENCES OF WRONGFUL CONVICTION IN WOMEN AND THE POSSIBILITY OF POSITIVE CHANGE.
- Authors
KONVISSER, ZIEVA DAUBER
- Abstract
Only a few studies have investigated the psychological consequences of wrongful conviction; several others have examined the psychological consequences of incarceration and its impact on reentry and reintegration, primarily for men. For women who have been wrongfully convicted and subsequently released from prison into the free world, there are further indignities and unique issues: having to deal with the deep personal loss of loved ones along with criminal charges; the absence of DNA evidence, making convictions harder to fight; stigmatization by prosecutors and the media; and unique emotional and medical needs. This paper presents: (1) an analysis of female wrongful convictions; (2) an overview of the existing literature on the psychological consequences of wrongful conviction and the unique qualities and needs faced by women; (3) evidence from research and real life experiences about potential responses to trauma, ranging from posttraumatic stress to resilience and posttraumatic growth, how these may coexist and how growth may be enabled; (4) meaningful strategies proposed in the literature and creative and resourceful strategies that have helped other survivors cope with-and even grow from-an untenable reality; and (5) the need for compassionate and holistic support to the exonerated. Valuable insights and empirical evidence are provided for the innocent women themselves; for clinicians, counselors, families, friends, employers and communities working to help innocent women during their arrest, trial, conviction, imprisonment, release and post-release; and for lawyers, policy-makers and advocates working to promote social justice and criminal justice reform.
- Subjects
ACTUAL innocence; PRESUMPTION of innocence; EXCULPATORY DNA evidence; FALSE imprisonment; PSYCHOLOGY of women; EMOTIONAL trauma
- Publication
DePaul Journal for Social Justice, 2012, Vol 5, Issue 2, p221
- ISSN
2151-3090
- Publication type
Article