Convenient Scapegoats: Juvenile Confessions and Exculpatory DNA in Cook County, IL

Cardozo Journal of Law and Gender, Vol. 18, p. 631, Spring 2012

Northwestern Public Law Research Paper No. 12-04

55 Pages Posted: 5 Mar 2012 Last revised: 29 May 2012

Date Written: February 23, 2012

Abstract

In the Winter of 2011-2012, in two different cases known as the Dixmoor Five and the Englewood Four, nine men were exonerated of rapes and murders based on exculpatory post-conviction DNA testing. Seven of these nine men actually confessed to the crime. This article explores these two cases and how the Cook County law enforcement agencies, including the State's Attorney's Office, dealt with the powerful new DNA results.

Keywords: Cook County, false confessions, Dixmoor, Englewood, wrongful convictions, Robert Milan, Anita Alvarez, DNA

JEL Classification: K10, K19, K30, K30, K49

Suggested Citation

Tepfer, Joshua and Cooley, Craig M. and Thompson, Tara, Convenient Scapegoats: Juvenile Confessions and Exculpatory DNA in Cook County, IL (February 23, 2012). Cardozo Journal of Law and Gender, Vol. 18, p. 631, Spring 2012, Northwestern Public Law Research Paper No. 12-04, Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=2010191

Joshua Tepfer (Contact Author)

Northwestern University - Pritzker School of Law ( email )

375 E. Chicago Ave
Chicago, IL 60611
United States

Craig M. Cooley

affiliation not provided to SSRN ( email )

Tara Thompson

University of Chicago - Law School ( email )

1111 E. 60th St.
Chicago, IL 60637
United States

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