The original Innocence Project was founded in 1992. Affiliated with the Benjamin N. Cardozo School of Law at Yeshiva University, the Innocence Project is dedicated both to exonerating the wrongfully convicted and striving to reform the criminal justice system to prevent such wrongful convictions, according to the Project's website. The Innocence Project's website notes that they are a founding member of the Innocence Network, which brings together law and journalism schools and public defender's offices to assist inmates in proving their innocence.
Innocence Project
100 Fifth Avenue, 3rd Floor
New York, NY 10011
innocenceproject.org
212-364-5340
The California Innocence Project is affiliated with the California Western School of Law. Founded in 1999, the California Innocence Project is a law school clinical program for which law students receive credit. The California Innocence Project reviews over 2,000 claims of innocence from prisoners in California each year, according to their website. The Project is a member of the Innocence Network and will accept DNA and non-DNA cases from Southern California with a sentence of more than three years.
California Western School of Law
Institute for Criminal Defense Advocacy
225 Cedar Street
San Diego, CA 92101
619-525-1485
www.cwsl.edu/main
Founded in 1998, the Center on Wrongful Convictions is affiliated with Northwestern University School of Law. According to its website, the Center has worked for the exoneration of 21 innocent men and women in Illinois since its founding, and members of its staff helped exonerate an additional 14 people, including Gary Dotson, who was the first person in the world to be exonerated by DNA evidence. The Center on Wrongful Convictions is a member of the Innocence Network, and will accept DNA and non-DNA cases from persons with more than 10 years remaining on their sentences, according to its website.
Center on Wrongful Convictions
Northwestern University School of Law
357 East Avenue
Chicago, IL 60611
312-502-3291
law.northwestern.edu/wrongfulconvictions