On a blog without a name

Under the 5th Amendment to the US Constitution, no person can be compelled to provide evidence that would incriminate themselves. Sine the testimony of those involved in crime is often required to secure the conviction of other criminals, all jurisdictions in the US routinely offer immunity from prosecution in return for testimony that will convict others. In New York, a statute formalises this process by giving transactional immunity to any person giving evidence to a Grand Jury. The immunity given seems incredibly wide-ranging, even if the testimony is false, or if other crimes than the ones under investigation are revealed. All very strange.