Presumption of Innocence in Criminal Justice System
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https://doi.org/10.59022/ijlp.498Keywords:
Presumption of Innocence, Criminal Justice System, Pretrial Detention, Prosecutorial Accountability, Comparative Criminal Procedure, Fair Trial Rights, Wrongful ConvictionsAbstract
The presumption of innocence represents the most fundamental guarantee within any fair criminal justice system. Despite its universal recognition in constitutional texts and international human rights instruments, this principle faces persistent and systematic erosion across multiple jurisdictions worldwide. This study examines the theoretical foundations, institutional failures, and procedural weaknesses that collectively undermine effective application of this vital right. Employing qualitative doctrinal and document analysis methodology, the research comparatively evaluates common law and civil law systems to identify where protection succeeds and where it critically fails. Findings reveal that pretrial detention, prosecutorial misconduct, media prejudice, and algorithmic bias represent the most serious contemporary threats. A comprehensive four-pillar legal framework is proposed, addressing procedural reform, prosecutorial accountability, media regulation, and judicial education simultaneously. The study contributes a cross-jurisdictional reform model that connects legal theory directly to institutional practice, offering policymakers, judges, and legal reformers an evidence-based pathway toward genuinely protecting innocence in modern criminal proceedings.
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