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Wrongful convictions

NIJ FY 14 Postconviction Testing of DNA Evidence to Exonerate the Innocent

Closing Date

​NIJ is seeking proposals for funds to help defray the costs associated with postconviction DNA testing in cases of violent felony offenses where actual innocence might be demonstrated. Specifically, funding may be used to review postconviction cases of violent felony offenses (as defined by State law), and to locate and analyze biological evidence samples associated with these cases. Where a strong justification is provided, a...

NIJ FY 14 Research on Sentinel Events and Criminal Justice System Errors

Closing Date

NIJ is interested in stimulating research in a new area of study in criminal justice research – an exploration of the use of sentinel event reviews to improve the justice system overall. Sentinel event review processes have been used in other fields, notably aviation and medicine, and NIJ would like to explore whether similar reviews would be feasible in the criminal justice field. With this...

NIJ FY 13 Postconviction DNA Testing Assistance Program

Closing Date

NIJ seeks proposals for funds to help defray the costs associated with postconviction DNA testing in cases of violent felony offenses where actual innocence might be demonstrated. Specifically, funding may be used to review postconviction cases of violent felony offenses (as defined by State law), and to locate and analyze biological evidence samples associated with these cases. Where a strong justification is provided, a small...

Erroneous Convictions in Criminal Justice

March 2013

Interview with Jon Gould, Ph.D., Director of the Washington Institute for Public and International Affairs Research, American University.

Dr. Gould discusses:

  • Bottom line findings from the study "Predicting Erroneous Convictions: A Social Science Approach to Miscarriages of Justice"
  • Ten statistically significant factors related to wrongful convictions
  • The role of systemic error and tunnel vision