The Case
Five teenagers were wrongfully accused of attacking a jogger in this famous New York City park in 1989.
What is Central Park?
This term refers to mental shortcuts our brains use that can sometimes lead to errors in judgment.
What is cognitive bias?
The article by Christina Swarns argues that this group is disproportionately wrongfully convicted in the United States.
Who are Black Americans?
The prefix “un-” in the word unfair means this.
What is not?
The main message or lesson about society or human behavior in a text is called this.
What is a theme?
This type of confession occurs when someone admits to a crime they did not commit.
What is a false confession?
This bias occurs when people focus only on information that supports what they already believe
What is confirmation bias?
This factor can influence how much power a person has in the criminal justice system because it affects access to legal resources.
What is socioeconomic status or class?
The suffix “-less” in the word powerless means this.
What is without?
The most important idea the author wants readers to understand in an informational text.
What is the central idea?
These police techniques can pressure suspects—especially minors—into giving unreliable confessions.
What are coercive interrogation methods?
In the article by Vanessa Meterko, this bias was identified as a major contributor to wrongful convictions.
What is cognitive bias?
When the media repeatedly portrays someone as guilty before a trial, it can influence public opinion and the jury through this phenomenon.
What is trial by media?
The prefix “mis-” in the word misjudge means this.
What is wrongly or badly?
Evidence taken directly from a text that supports a claim is called this.
What is textual evidence?
This piece of evidence later helped prove the innocence of the Central Park Five when matched with the real perpetrator.
What is DNA evidence?
This bias can occur when investigators interpret evidence in ways that support their original theory of a crime.
What is tunnel vision?
This systemic issue occurs when institutions create unequal outcomes for different racial groups, even without explicit intent.
What is systemic racism?
The root “cred” in words like credible and credit relates to this idea.
What is belief or trust?
When a reader makes a logical conclusion based on evidence and prior knowledge, they are making this.
What is an inference?
Years after the convictions, this man confessed and his DNA matched the evidence from the crime scene.
Who is Matias Reyes?
When jurors or investigators judge someone’s guilt based on stereotypes about race or class, they are demonstrating this type of bias.
What is implicit bias?
According to Swarns’ argument, addressing wrongful convictions requires reforms such as improved legal representation and this process of reviewing potential wrongful convictions.
What are conviction review or innocence investigations?
The suffix “-tion” turns a verb into this type of word.
What is a noun?
When an author acknowledges opposing viewpoints in an argument and responds to them, they are addressing this.
What is a counterclaim?