Algorithmic Justice Could Clear Convictions in California

Re:Algorithmic Justice Could Clear Convictions in California by anilakar on Tuesday February 26, 2019 @10:07AM (#19254820)

Let me get this straight: Are there people who have been wrongly convicted and are currently locked up only because someone hasn't done their paperwork?

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Re:Algorithmic Justice Could Clear Convictions in California by twic on Tuesday February 26, 2019 @10:32AM (#19255046)

So far they have reviewed 43 years of eligible convictions, proactively dismissing and sealing 3,038 marijuana misdemeanours and reviewing, and recalling and re-sentencing up to 4,940 other felony marijuana convictions which were sentenced prior to Proposition 64’s passage in November 2016.

This sounds to me like it's quashing convictions for marijuana-related activity which is no longer a crime, and where sentences have already been served. So the convicts are no longer in prison, but they have a criminal record, which this project will wipe clean.

In a post from last year [1], a lawyer writes:

But here in California, there’s hardly anybody in prison for marijuana anymore because of the reforms in our system that have happened over the last decade.

[1] https://melmagazine.com/en-us/story/if-cannabis-becomes-lega...

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Re:Algorithmic Justice Could Clear Convictions in California by empath75 on Tuesday February 26, 2019 @10:17AM (#19254906)

There are tons of people in jail that shouldn't be in jail, for all kinds of reasons.

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Re:Algorithmic Justice Could Clear Convictions in California by bertil on Tuesday February 26, 2019 @10:48AM (#19255221)

“Has done the paperwork” is a vague concept but, yes, there are a lot of people who are in jail for crimes that do not exist anymore.

There are more people who would be in if someone cared enough to raise key exonerating circumstances, judicial practices change since their condemnation. It’s less “straightforward” but it’s a lot less controversial than you would think.

This is why people who can read law books are so valuable in prison.

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