Iowa's Preventing Wrongful Conviction Project

The Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA) FY20 Upholding the Rule of Law and Preventing Wrongful Convictions (ROL/WCR) Program is committed to protecting the integrity of the criminal justice system and the consistent application of due process for all. The ROL/WCR supports efforts by Wrongful Conviction Review entities (WCR entities) in providing high quality and efficient post-conviction representation for defendants in post-conviction claims of innocence. The grant recipient will use ROL/WCR funds to implement a strategic plan led by a WCR entity for reviewing, investigating, and adjudicating individual cases of post-conviction claims of innocence and appeals. The strategy should also include an assessment of the risk for wrongful conviction among the reviewed cases. This assessment should support the prevention of wrongful conviction, including setting criteria and prioritizing for review those at highest risk of wrongful conviction, as well as to seek to identify the actual perpetrator.

CA/NCF