Wrongful Conviction Review Program

The purpose of the Wrongful Conviction Review Program is to provide high quality and efficient representation for potentially wrongfully convicted defendants in post-conviction claims of innocence. This program is funded under the FY12 BJA Wrongful Conviction Review Program, Pub. L. No. 112-55, 125 Stat. 552, 615. Post-conviction innocence claims are likely to include complex challenges to the reliability or accuracy of evidence presented at trial which fall mainly into three categories: eyewitness identification evidence; confession evidence; and forensic evidence. The goals of this initiative are to: provide quality representation to those who may have been wrongfully convicted; alleviate burdens placed on the criminal justice system through costly and prolonged post-conviction litigation; and identify, whenever possible, the actual perpetrator of the crime.

The Arizona Justice Project will utilize the FY 2012 Wrongful Conviction grant to represent and exonerate wrongfully convicted inmates. The funds will allow the grantee to conduct extensive review and investigation of claims of actual innocence, including expert review; provide efficient and high quality post-conviction representation to indigent Arizona inmates, and conduct statistical reporting for the purpose of research, study, and opportunity to improve the criminal justice system. The award will support travel costs, contract personnel, and expert witness fees. CA/NCF