By advancing methodologies and policies that address the underlying causes of wrongful convictions, funding through this program is intended to help wrongful conviction entities, prosecutors, law enforcement, defense counsel, and courts identify actual perpetrators and develop training tools, policies, and procedures that can prevent wrongful convictions.
Solicitation Categories:
- Category 1: Wrongful Conviction Review Entity-Led Strategy
- Category 2: Prosecutor/Conviction Integrity Unit-Led Partnerships with Wrongful Conviction Review Entities
Eligible Applicants:
- City or township governments
- County governments
- Native American tribal governments (federally recognized)
- Native American tribal organizations (other than federally recognized tribal governments)
- Nonprofits having a 501(c)(3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education
- Nonprofits that do not have a 501(c)(3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education
- Private institutions of higher education
- Public and state controlled institutions of higher education
- State governments
- Other
- County, state, or local public defender offices that have in-house post-conviction representation programs that show demonstrable experience and competence in litigating post-conviction claims of innocence. If the applicant is not a WCR entity, they must be partnered with one.
See the solicitation for additional opportunity and eligibility details, as well as directions on how to apply.
Awards
Number of Awards: 16
Total Amount Awarded: $8,809,951
BJA FY23 Upholding the Rule of Law and Preventing Wrongful Conviction Programs
CIPF - Upholding the Rule of Law and Preventing Wrongful Convictions
Confession Review Team: A Joint Venture between the Travis County District Attorney’s Office and the Innocence Project of Texas
Ensuring Wrongful Conviction Review Equity in Access and Outcomes for Indigenous Clients
Furthering Tennessee Innocence Project's work on innocence claims, focusing on Shelby County/Memphis, TN, in partnership with the new Shelby County District Attorney's Conviction Review Unit.
Identifying and Correcting Wrongful Convictions Program
Innocence Texas: Building Capacity to Address Wrongful Convictions
Investigation and litigation of claims of innocence
Los Angeles Innocence Project - BJA FY 23 Upholding the Rule of Law and Preventing Wrongful Convictions Program
Meeting the demand in Nevada for wrongful conviction review and post-conviction representation
Notre Dame Exoneration Justice Clinic: Investigating, Litigating, and Preventing Wrongful Convictions, and Upholding the Rule of Law
Pro Se Review Project: Identifying Cases Of Prosecutorial Misconduct and Brady Violations in Pro Se Submissions to the Conviction Integrity Unit
Pro Se Review Project: Partnership with Philadelphia’s Conviction Integrity Unit to Identify and Provide Pro Bono Advocacy for Wrongfully Convicted Individuals Without Counsel
Shelby County FY23 Postconviction Testing of DNA Evidence
University of Nebraska College of Law Wrongful Conviction Review: Collaborating to Identify, Correct, and Prevent Wrongful Convictions in Nebraska
Wayne County Prosecutor's Upholding the Rule of Law Project
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