Approximately half of the states, and the federal government, have laws on the books providing for compensation for persons who have been wrongfully convicted and imprisoned. What is a year of wrongful imprisonment worth? Those statutes that attempt to put a dollar amount on stolen freedom value it quite differently. For instance, Floridas new legislation allows for up to $2 million in compensation for wrongful incarceration (although the law is extremely restrictive as to who qualifies). New Hampshire, on the other hand, caps the amount at $20,000, no matter how many years of imprisonment were involved.
Posted on: Sat, 18 Jan 2014 17:34:27 +0000