- Want to stay out of jail? If so, try these tactics...
It’s tempting to think that everyone in prison deserves to be there, and that innocent people don’t have a realistic opportunity to end up in such a confining establishment. But according to some estimates, 4 percent or more of the prison population is actually innocent.
How do innocent people end up in prison? And what can innocent people do to avoid this dreadful situation?
(Almost) Surefire Strategies to Stay Out of Prison
There are some circumstances in which going to prison becomes an inevitability, even if you’re innocent, but these are so contrived and rare that you probably don’t need to worry about them. The overwhelming majority of people can stay out of prison if they do the following:
- Obey the law. Of course, being “innocent” means you haven’t broken any laws or committed any crimes. Be consistent in this behavior if you want to reduce the risk of going to prison. This includes obeying the law even in minor, low stakes scenarios; for example, it’s important to continue obeying the speed limit while driving even if the drivers around you aren’t.
- Secure strong alibis. Throughout your daily life, consider your provable alibis. Get receipts from your retail transactions. Talk to people who might remember you. Keep your phone with you at all times. If you can prove where you’ve been and what you were doing, you might be able to prove that you weren’t at the scene of a potential crime in the future.
- Call an attorney. If you ever find yourself in a legally questionable position, call an attorney as soon as possible. Criminal defense lawyers fight on your behalf to make sure you’re treated fairly by police officers and the legal system in general. They can help you understand the charges brought against you. They can prevent you from answering questions inaccurately or in a way that incriminates you. They can make sure that police officers don’t use nefarious tactics. And of course, they can represent you in court. For example, a Tulsa County criminal attorney can provide specialized knowledge of local laws and procedures.
- Don’t talk to the police. In the meantime, don’t talk to the police. Depending on where you live, you may be legally required to give the police identifying information, such as your name and address. But otherwise, you have the right to remain silent and you should definitely take advantage of it. Don’t say a word to the police, even if you’re innocent, until you have an attorney by your side. Too many innocent people end up in prison simply because they have too much trust in what the police are saying.
- Never confess to something you didn’t do. Finally, never confess to something you didn’t do. Police officers sometimes claim to have damning evidence, pressuring you to confess in order to lighten your sentence. But these claims are often lies.
Why Innocent People End Up in Prison
These are just some of the reasons why innocent people end up in prison:
- Bad police work. Sometimes, innocent people go to jail because of bad police work. Police officers overlook key details, or make false assumptions that eventually lead to arresting the wrong individual.
- Malicious actors. Most police officers are well-intentioned people, but there are some malicious actors on the force. If a detective intentionally frames you or fabricates evidence against you, they could increase the chances of you going to jail. Similarly, if existing criminals are incentivized to testify against you, they could blame you for crimes you didn’t commit.
- Prosecutorial misconduct. Prosecutorial misconduct is another reason why innocent people end up in jail. If prosecutors hide or distort evidence, it could make it difficult or impossible for you to prove your innocence.
- Manipulation and false confessions. False confessions are one of the most common causes of wrongful conviction. Police officers sometimes lie and use misleading or deceitful tactics to trick people into confessing to crimes they may or may not have committed. If you fall for these tactics, you could end up in jail.
- Witness errors. Sometimes, eyewitness mistakes can lead to a false conviction. We have a tendency to believe witnesses, but witnesses aren’t as reliable as we like to think. It’s very easy for memories to become corrupted – and for people to “remember” things that didn’t actually happen. Yet, in some cases, even a single witness statement can be damning to a defendant.
- Lawyer issues. Lawyers who fail to represent their clients’ best interests can also be problematic. That’s why it’s important to hire a criminal defense lawyer with experience and integrity.
- Judge issues. Biased judges and other judiciary problems can also increase the chances of an innocent person going to jail.
- Scientific flaws. Forensic science and other sciences used in criminal proceedings are highly reliable – but they’re not perfect. Misleading results or flawed interpretations can land people in prison despite their innocence.
We don’t have a perfect legal system, but we do have a darn good one. If you’re truly innocent, and if you follow the advice in this article, your chances of going to prison for something you didn’t do are trivially low. If nothing else, avoid talking to the police at all costs and hire a criminal defense lawyer as soon as you can. These two strategies should keep most people out of jail.