Actual
(are they actually guilty yes or no)
Yes
HIT
No
False Positive
Court predicted that they were guilty of the
Court predicted they were guilty of the crime
crime and they were indeed guilty of a serious but they were actually innocent
crime
False Negative
HIT
Court predicted they were not guilty of the
crime but they actually were
Court predicted they were innocent of the
crime but they were guilty
1. False positive costs
- There is still a perpetrator at large who is still able to commit further crimes.
- Shows that the justice system is flawed to the public and reduces their
confidence in the system's ability to deliver proper justice where it is needed.
- Potential to increase crime as other potential violent offenders may think they will
also get away with it.
- Offender is not held accountable for their actions (no proper reparation for victims
+ no treatment services when in need of high level services)
2. False Negative costs
- Innocent people may be sentenced to execution when they do not do anything.
- Overtreatment of potential low risk individual which may create issues (i.e.,
antisocial behaviors/ attitudes) in individuals that did not previously exist.
- Misuse of society's money on court services, price of imprisonment, treatment
services etc. on the wrong individuals.
- Individuals go through wrongful stigmatization by society, friends, family ect. (get
treated like a criminal even though you are not) - even if proven innocent may still
suffer from self esteem issues/self stigmatization.
3. Hit (guilty verdict + guilty individual) - benefit
- The guilty perpetrator is being held accountable for their actions and is not able
to commit more criminal offenses.
- The application of punishment deters other potential offenders away from crime.
- Provides victim reparation
- Provides confidence in the system to the public as justice has been served.
4. Hit (innocent verdict + innocent individual) - benefit
- Save money as services are not used on individuals that do not need them
- Avoidance of emotional damage for the individual and family involved.
- Takes a suspect out of investigation, furthering the proper guilty verdict.
- Public has better confidence in the system, because innocent people are not put
away. Which can lead to more funding for research and programming, better jobs
etc.
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