This document informs of an effort by the Department of Justice to ensure fair and impartial administration of justice for all Americans, through postconviction DNA analysis, to either correct an injustice through exoneration or to reassure public interest that justice has been fairly applied.
This fact sheet lays out the details of the Postconviction Testing of DNA Evidence Program to fund projects that aid states and local government departments with postconviction DNA testing in cases of violent felony offenses, where actual innocence might be demonstrated. The program works with the goal of serving justice through the careful review, consideration, and closing of cases, to provide successful exonerations which correct past injustices, or by confirming that justice has been fairly applied. The document presents the four program goals: to identify potential postconviction DNA testing cases; to review appropriate cases to identify those in which DNA testing could prove actual innocence of a person convicted of a violent felony offense; to locate biological evidence associated with those postconviction cases; and to perform DNA analysis of the appropriate biological evidence, review, and report the DNA test results. The fact sheet provides figures for past program funding awards, dating from fiscal year (FY) 2008 through FY 2022, lists program accomplishments, and contains additional information with links to the program website.