My favorite newspaper, San Jose Mercury News, is running a five part report on failings of the justice system in the Santa Clara Country. Part one appeared yesterday and outlined the scope, methodology and general highlights of the study. Part two, which appeared today, aims at the prosecution misconduct.
I was motivated to look at the Internet edition after reading the print edition and was pleasantly surprised that the online coverage had much more information.
This is an amazing and very informative study and peeks inside the workings (or rather, failings) of the judicial system of America, for although the study looks at cases in Santa Clara County only, I would be surprised if other counties fared better. Often there is too much emphasis on laws themselves and much less on how they are being carried out by those who are supposed to apply them. This study puts the focus on the later.
Hope more such studies are undertaken in other counties and eventually cause the system to work better.