There are are three standouts from the Post Office debacle.
Groupthink and confirmation bias are deeply embedded in the system. In short, individuals , and indeed groups, look for evidence that supports their view ,or stance and either ignore arguments and evidence that undermines this, or afford it insufficient weight. They then become so invested in their view that to change it would be very damaging to them reputationally, and probably financially. They then aggressively defend positions that are wrong and unsustainable. As a former political lobbyist I clocked this years ago!
Third, and this is a new one on me, there is a presumption in common law that computer evidence is reliable. Indeed, Courts are directed to assume that a computer system has operated correctly, unless there is explicit evidence otherwise. This is complete nonsense on stilts and illogical. We all know that complex software is subject to bugs and glitches. Which is why , and how, hackers can access systems and steal information and data. They exploit programmers errors.
So why this presumption?
It has enabled a gross miscarriage of justice, on an industrial scale . While this is referred to as a ’miscarriage of justice’ ,the term ‘perverting the course of justice’ seems rather more apposite. Post Office executives ,and their lawyers, knew of the glitches in the Horizon software yet chose to withhold, and not disclose this information , from the accused postmasters and the courts !
And, incredibly , programmers do not need any particular qualifications to practice. The law does not require anyone building computer systems to have any competence or qualifications.!
What could possibly go wrong?
Montrose42 Blog 