Can you imagine sitting in a lonely prison cell for years, knowing that you have been wrongly convicted of a serious crime? Our criminal justice system was originally designed to protect our law abiding citizens from outlaws and miscreants. The justice system was also intended to protect our right to a fair trial if accused of a crime, but the ability to protect the innocent from false conviction is not without some critical flaws.

When DNA testing was introduced, it was seen as a huge boon to forensic science, but it is estimated that only 5 to 10% of criminal cases have DNA evidence available. This means that courts still have to rely on eyewitness accounts and other evidence to get convictions. Controlled studies have shown, that eyewitness accounts can be up to 33% inaccurate. There are many other factors that can taint an eyewitness account, such as the distance from the crime, the use of a weapon, suggestions from authorities, and a variety of other circumstances.

DNA testing was first introduced in 1984, by Sir Alec Jeffreys of the University of Leicester, England and was made commercially available in 1987. Since 1989, 281 people in the U.S. have been exonerated through DNA testing for crimes they didn’t commit.

Since DNA testing has become available, many weaknesses in the justice system have come to light and have prompted the start-up of many organizations aimed at revamping the methods used to prevent wrongful convictions.

The Innocence Project is one organization whose purpose is to help clients prove their innocence through DNA testing. Each year, the Innocence Project receives more than 3,000 letters from prisoners throughout the U.S. claiming their innocence. There are more than 60 organizations in the Innocence Network, so more than likely, there is a much higher number of people seeking exoneration. The project has been known to review between 6,000 to 8,000 cases at any particular time, and it is estimated that up to 20% of these cases are closed because of evidence that has been lost or destroyed.

If you know someone who may have been wrongfully convicted of a crime, or if you would simply like to get involved with supporting the movement to help change our justice systems policies, you can contact one of the organizations from the Innocence Network  at http://tinyurl.com/7dklpd5 for more information.