States need to protect the accused from false snitching by jailhouse informants

In late November, 80 members of the Illinois House of Representatives came together to override Republican Gov. Bruce Rauner’s veto and push through a bill that places limits on courtroom use of jailhouse informants. The bill’s passage is a monumental step toward preventing wrongful convictions. In order for justice to prevail nationwide, more states should follow suit.

Jailhouse informants are incarcerated individuals who provide testimony in exchange for benefits, such as a reduced sentence or special inmate privileges. But because they have a high incentive to testify, their claims aren’t always legitimate, which poses a problem for our criminal justice system.