Alondra Belford

Oct. 7, 2016

LSA Legal Research & Writing

A. ABSTRACT
 For my research paper, I plan to write a paper entitled Wrongful Convictions: A

Flaw In Americas Judicial System. This paper will outline exactly what wrongful

convictions are and how the judicial system has been affected by them. For my project, I

plan to host a miniature lock-in at Princess Anne High School entitled Wrongful

Convictions: Spend An Afternoon in Someone Elses Shoes. I have selected this topic

because I have had a passion for justice and equity for as long as I can remember, and

that wrongful convictions are, to me, one of the worst faults in the judicial system

because of the lack of remorse held by those responsible for the wrongful conviction.

Furthermore, most people who are not involved in the judicial system are unaware that

this is an issue, simply because it is never something that would cross their minds. I hope

that through this project, I can make people aware of wrongful convictions and inspire

those to get involved to help exonerate people currently in jail for crimes they did not

commit.

These are my questions guiding my research:

1. What are some common reasons people are

convicted of crimes?
2. When in trial, how can the prosecution be so

convincing of the idea that the defendant is guilty when in some cases,

there is evidence to the contrary?

3. What is it that prosecutors say in order to convince

juries and affect their opinions to convict someone?

4. How do people who have already been convicted go

about getting themselves exonerated?

5. What is the average length of time for exoneration?
 My advisor for such an endeavor will be Mr. Joseph Winn. I chose Mr. Winn as my

advisor because with him being the Introduction to Criminal Justice teacher for the Legal Studies

Academy, I believe he will be able to assist me in some of the relevant laws that apply to

wrongful convictions and, along with my own independent research, assist me in understanding

the process behind exonerating criminals wrongfully convicted.

For my actual project, I intend to host my project at Princess Anne High School with a

project entitled Wrongful Convictions: Spend A Night In Someone Elses Shoes. The goal of

this project would be to inspire those that attend my events to become more involved in the

exoneration of criminals by helping to pass legislation, or just becoming more informed about

the issues. The plan would be as follows:

1. Anyone who attends my project would arrive at the location between 4:30-5:00.

There will be a sign-in table and guests will have the chance to ask questions about the

procedure for the night or any concerns they may have. All participants will file into the

bleachers in the gymnasium and wait for the event to begin. I will have a powerpoint

slide playing pictures of exonerated victims with little tidbits of information regarding

their stories along with the title slide of my event: Wrongful Convictions: Spend A Night

in Someone Elses Shoes, so that participants can understand what exactly the event will

pertain to.
2. Once the event has actually begun, I will introduce myself to the audience,

explain the reasoning and purpose behind my project, and the sequence of events for the

evening.
3. After my brief presentation on wrongful convictions, I will, if possible, have

Jeffrey Deskovic speak to the crowd of people via Skype, where he can talk about his

experience with his wrongful conviction, the process by which he was released, and how
 he has used his story to influence and help other people who have been wrongfully

convicted.
4. After hearing him speak and giving the guests the chance to ask questions or just

to find out more about the issue, I will alert the guests that there is a museum display

throughout the school, similar to The Museum of Crime and Punishment where I will

have various displays regarding wrongful convictions including a photo booth where

people can wear inmate signs and take pictures behind a mugshot board or simulation of

actually being in a cell, or even just looking more at the history of wrongful convictions

with an interactive timeline.

B. LEARNING SKILLS

New Skills:

1. Learning how to create a video advertisement: Not only will this skill be essential

to completing multiple components of my project, I will also need to learn this skill for

later in college and post-graduate endeavors I take on. I have never experimented with

any form of movie maker, and for projects, I have always relied on other members of my

group to either take on that part of the project or to help me, but I need to learn for myself

how to create video advertisements.

2. Fundraising: Though I have been involved in different organizations that deal

with raising money for various issues, I have never, on my own, organized, hosted, and

dealt with the aftermath of fundraising for a particular cause. For my project, I will need

to know how to organize and host a fundraiser for the Innocence Project Virginia

Division and how to accurately detail my income from said fundraiser and how to donate

the money made to the Innocence Project.

3. Graphic Design: For my project, I intend on hanging posters throughout First

Colonial, as well as in my neighborhood and other locations that I frequent. In order to do

 this, I need to properly learn how to create posters on different platforms other than just

Microsoft Word that attract the general public and persuade them to attend my event.

Enhanced Skills

1. Time Management: Although this is a skill that I should have perfected with being

a senior in high school, there are still some flaws in my time management skills. With

everything from taking a course at TCC to having a job and my responsibilities at home, I

need to enhance my time management skills to ensure that I am not rushing at the last

possible moment to put together a project that does not show my full potential.
2. Public Speaking: While I have confidence speaking to a crowd of about 30 (since

this is something I have done throughout my time in the academy, I need to enhance my

skills (as I not have practiced publish speaking since my Oratory class) of public

speaking to not only become comfortable with speaking in front of 30 people, but,

depending on the size of my event, a crowd of 100 people, or possibly even more.
3. Budgeting: Ever since Ive started working, I have had a tendency to spend all of

my der to complete this project to my expectations, I will have to learn to maintain a

budget so as not to spend too much money out of pocket, and not reach my goal of

making back the money I spent in addition to a good amount of money for the Virginia

Division of the Innocence Project.

4. C. MARKETING PLAN/FACILITIES/AUDIENCEmoney on things that I

dont need or in areas where the money could be put to b

5. etter use. In or