Do Exclusionary Rules Convict the Innocent?
U of Chicago Law & Economics, Olin Working Paper No. 569
Illinois Program in Law, Behavior and Social Science Paper No. LBSS11-30
28 Pages Posted: 22 Aug 2011 Last revised: 6 Dec 2012
There are 2 versions of this paper
Do Exclusionary Rules Convict the Innocent?
Do Exclusionary Rules Convict the Innocent?
Date Written: November 2012
Abstract
Rules excluding various kinds of evidence from criminal trials play a prominent role in criminal procedure and have generated considerable controversy. In this paper we address the general topic of excluding factually relevant evidence, that is, the kind of evidence that would rationally influence the jury’s verdict if it were admitted. We do not offer a comprehensive analysis of these exclusionary rules but add to the existing literature by identifying a new domain for economic analysis, focusing on how juries respond to the existence of such a rule. We show that the impact of exclusionary rules on the likelihood of conviction is complex and depends on the degree of rationality exhibited by juries and on the motivations of the prosecutor.
Keywords: Exclusionary rules, evidence, juries
JEL Classification: K40
Suggested Citation: Suggested Citation