False eyewitness testimony is a major cause. Eyewitnesses can be mistaken due to various factors like poor lighting, stress, or the passage of time. For example, in some cases, witnesses might identify the wrong person in a lineup just because they look similar to the real culprit.
Another instance is that of Amanda Knox. Knox, an American student studying in Italy, was wrongly convicted of the murder of her roommate. The case was full of misinformation, false leads, and prosecutorial misconduct. It took years of legal battles for Knox to be exonerated. These true stories highlight the flaws in the criminal justice system when it comes to protecting the innocent from false accusations.
In many cases, crimes depicted in various forms of media might have elements drawn from real-life incidents, but they could also be heavily fictionalized for entertainment or narrative purposes. So, it varies.
Well, it depends. Some crime stories are based on actual cases, but many are made up to entertain or thrill the audience. There's no one-size-fits-all answer.