THE INNOCENCE PROJECT INC

LEGAL SERVICES (INCLUDES LEGAL, INTAKE, AND SOCIAL WORK): THE INNOCENCE PROJECT LEVERAGES THE FACT-FINDING SCIENCE OF DNA TESTING TO EXPOSE ERRORS IN THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM AND TO EXONERATE PEOPLE IN PRISON OR ON DEATH ROW FOR CRIMES THEY DID NOT COMMIT. TO DETERMINE WHICH CASES WE CAN ACCEPT, OUR STEADFAST INTAKE TEAM REVIEWED 1781 LETTERS IN THE FISCAL YEAR 2025 FROM INCARCERATED PEOPLE REQUESTING AN INVESTIGATION INTO THEIR INNOCENCE CLAIMS. THE TEAM THEN CONDUCTS AN IN-DEPTH EVALUATION OF THE CASES TO DETERMINE WHETHER DNA TESTING CAN PROVE INNOCENCE AND PRESENTS THEM TO OUR LEGAL TEAM TO MAKE A FINAL DETERMINATION OF WHICH CASES TO ACCEPT. ONCE CASES ARE ACCEPTED, OUR STAFF ATTORNEYS WORK WITH LAW SCHOOL CLINIC STUDENTS TO INVESTIGATE THE CASES, TO FIND BIOLOGICAL EVIDENCE AND TO GAIN ACCESS TO POST-CONVICTION TESTING THROUGH AGREEMENTS OR COURT ORDERS. WHEN DNA RESULTS PROVE OUR CLIENTS' INNOCENCE, WE SEEK THEIR IMMEDIATE RELEASE. IN FISCAL YEAR 2025, WE EXONERATED TWO INDIVIDUALS OF CRIMES THEY DID NOT COMMIT AND WORKED TO FREE MANY MORE. DURING THE FISCAL YEAR ENDING JUNE 30, 2025, THE INNOCENCE PROJECT REPRESENTED APPROXIMATELY 210 CLIENTS AT ANY GIVEN TIME AND EVALUATED THOUSANDS OF REQUESTS FOR HELP FROM INDIVIDUALS CONVICTED OF A CRIME OR THEIR FAMILIES. TO DATE, THE INNOCENCE PROJECT HAS HELPED FREE MORE THAN 253 PEOPLE. FOR EACH EXONERATION CASE, INNOCENCE PROJECT SOCIAL WORKERS HELPED CLIENTS REUNITE WITH THEIR FAMILY AND FRIENDS AND PROVIDED ASSISTANCE TO SECURE HOUSING, DAY-TO-DAY TRANSPORTATION, CRITICAL MEDICAL OR MENTAL HEALTH CARE, AND SUPPORT IN FINDING EMPLOYMENT. THE INNOCENCE PROJECT REPRESENTED 250 CLIENTS, AND THE SOCIAL WORK TEAM WORKED WITH 65 FORMER CLIENTS DURING THE YEAR ENDING JUNE 30, 2025.

POLICY: THE INNOCENCE PROJECT WORKS WITH CONGRESS, STATE LEGISLATURES AND COURTS, EXECUTIVE AGENCIES, LOCAL LEADERS, AND LAW ENFORCEMENT TO PASS LAWS, POLICIES, AND RULES TO REVEAL, CORRECT, AND PREVENT WRONGFUL CONVICTIONS. THE INNOCENCE PROJECT USES ITS FEDERAL CAPACITY TO ADVOCATE FOR LEGISLATIVE APPROPRIATIONS THAT SUPPORT POST-CONVICTION DNA TESTING AND THE REVIEW OF POTENTIAL WRONGFUL CONVICTIONS WHILE CLOSELY MONITORING AND PROVIDING ANALYSIS OF WHITE HOUSE EXECUTIVE ORDERS THAT MAY AFFECT OUR AREAS OF INTEREST. OUR POLICY PRIORITIES REFLECT THE LESSONS LEARNED FROM DNA EXONERATIONS AND ADDRESS THE CONTRIBUTORS TO WRONGFUL CONVICTIONS, WHICH INCLUDE EYEWITNESS MISIDENTIFICATION, FALSE CONFESSIONS, PROSECUTORIAL MISCONDUCT, AND FALSE TESTIMONY BY JAILHOUSE INFORMANTS. THE INNOCENCE PROJECT WORKS TO ENSURE FAIR ACCESS TO POST-CONVICTION DNA TESTING AND PRESERVATION OF BIOLOGICAL EVIDENCE FOR TESTING, AS WELL AS LEGAL MECHANISMS FOR INNOCENT PEOPLE SEEKING RELIEF THROUGH NEW NON-DNA EVIDENCE. WE ALSO PROMOTE POLICE PRACTICE REFORMS FROM IMPROVED IDENTIFICATION PROCEDURES TO THE RECORDING OF CUSTODIAL INTERROGATIONS. THE POLICY DEPARTMENT ALSO EDUCATES SYSTEM ACTORS ABOUT THE HUMAN FACTORS THAT AFFECT CRIMINAL INVESTIGATIONS, SUCH AS RELYING ON FACIAL RECOGNITION "MATCHES" THAT ARE LATER PROVEN TO BE INACCURATE. IN ADDITION, WE ADVOCATE FOR LAWS THAT FAIRLY COMPENSATE EXONERATED PEOPLE SO THAT THEY HAVE THE FINANCIAL FOOTING AND OTHER SUPPORT THEY NEED AND DESERVE TO RESTART THEIR LIVES. IN THE FISCAL YEAR ENDING JUNE 30, 2025, THE INNOCENCE PROJECT HAD FIVE (5) LEGISLATIVE VICTORIES AND SUCCESSFULLY ADVOCATED FOR THE DEFEAT OF FOUR (4) REGRESSIVE BILLS THAT WOULD HAVE UNDERMINED PAST REFORMS.FORENSIC SCIENCE POLICY: THE MISAPPLICATION OF FORENSIC SCIENCE CONTRIBUTED TO ALMOST HALF OF THE WRONGFUL CONVICTIONS THAT HAVE BEEN CLEARED THROUGH DNA TESTING IN THE UNITED STATES. TO ADDRESS THIS DIRE ISSUE, THE INNOCENCE PROJECT ADVOCATES CONGRESS AND EXECUTIVE AGENCIES TO SUPPORT RESEARCH THAT WILL VALIDATE FORENSIC DISCIPLINES AND SET JUST, EQUITABLE, AND CONSISTENT STANDARDS AROUND THEIR USE IN CRIMINAL INVESTIGATIONS AND IN COURT. WE ALSO WORK TO IMPROVE THE OVERSIGHT OF FORENSIC SCIENCE AT THE STATE LEVEL THROUGH THE ESTABLISHMENT OF FORENSIC SCIENCE COMMISSIONS. IN THE FISCAL YEAR ENDING JUNE 30, 2025, WE CONTINUED TO ENGAGE IN THE NATIONAL ACADEMIES OF SCIENCES, ENGINEERING, AND MEDICINE STUDY, ADVANCING THE FIELD OF FORENSIC PATHOLOGY: LESSONS LEARNED FROM DEATH IN CUSTODY INVESTIGATIONS, AND SUBMITTED WRITTEN RECOMMENDATIONS TO THE AD HOC COMMITTEE IN JANUARY. THE INNOCENCE PROJECT ALSO RESPONDED TO THE WHITE HOUSE OFFICE OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY POLICY'S REQUEST FOR INFORMATION REGARDING THE DEVELOPMENT OF AN ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE ACTION PLAN WITH RECOMMENDATIONS THAT THE USE OF AI IN FORENSIC SCIENCE MUST PRIORITIZE VALIDITY AND RELIABILITY, BE GROUNDED IN A SOLID SCIENTIFIC FOUNDATION, AND CONSIDER ETHICAL, LEGAL, AND SOCIAL IMPLICATIONS (ELSI).