Considerations for Assessing Jailhouse Informants

An often difficult decision faced by prosecutors is whether to use evidence provided by a so-called jailhouse informant. Individuals, when incarcerated, may let their guard down with other inmates and speak freely about the crime with which they have been charged. They may also (perhaps falsely) claim to have committed some heinous act simply in an effort to “impress” fellow inmates. At the same time, inmates facing other charges may try to barter with law enforcement, providing information allegedly learned from a fellow inmate in exchange for some benefit, such as a lesser sentence.

May 28, 2015 – Volume 3

Shaken Baby Syndrome and the broader category of Abusive Head Trauma is a well-accepted and evidence-based diagnosis. Physicians who regularly work with pediatric patients and who are on the front lines diagnosing the cause of injuries to children, as well as respected and established medical associations, confirm that violent whiplash shaking of a young child’s head can cause serious and even fatal brain injury. In spite of recent media coverage and claims from some physicians, there have been no new scientific advancements that have undercut the viability of either diagnosis. Needless to say, any shaken baby/abusive head trauma prosecution should be accompanied by evidence that the accused party was the cause of the injury.