The Justice Project’s National Agenda for Reform

To promote solutions to the problem of wrongful convictions, The Justice Project has constructed a national program of initiatives designed to increase the fairness and accuracy of the criminal justice system. Research into exonerations of innocent people has yielded much information on the primary causes of wrongful convictions and has identified a number of common, preventable errors.

The Justice Project works to implement meaningful substantive reforms that address the legacy of wrongful conviction in this country by enhancing protections for innocent people accused of crimes. These reforms include:

Improving Eyewitness Identification Procedures
Electronic Recording of Custodial Interrogations
Improving Standards for Admissibility of Snitch Testimony
Expanding Discovery in Criminal Cases
Improving Forensic Evidence Testing Procedures
Expanding Post-Conviction DNA Testing
Ensuring Proper Safeguards Against Prosecutorial Misconduct
Ensuring Standards for the Appointment and Performance of Counsel in Capital Cases
The Justice Project Policy Reviews

To help facilitate dialogue among local law enforcement agencies, policymakers, practitioners and others, The Justice Project develops and distributes policy reviews outlining recommendations for procedural improvements, the latest scientific research, pertinent case studies and model state policies. By presenting many successful methods employed in local jurisdictions, as well as the science behind them, these reviews provide recommendations that will enhance the fairness and accuracy of our criminal justice system. Currently, policy reviews are available on these reforms:
Eyewitness Identification: A Policy Review details the model lineup protocol and the science behind it, as well as the experiences of jurisdictions that have adopted the more accurate procedures.

Electronic Recording of Custodial Interrogations: A Policy Review details a model policy as well as background on false confessions and information on the many jurisdictions that currently record interrogations.

Jailhouse Snitch Testimony: A Policy Review outlines a model policy and recommendations for procedural improvements for the standards of admissibility of jailhouse snitch testimony.

Expanded Discovery in Criminal Cases: A Policy Review offers recommendations and solutions on the best practices and methods for improving access to evidence through expanded discovery and enhancing the reliability of outcomes in criminal trials.

Read a National Law Journal opinion piece by TJP President John Terzano that highlights our National Agenda for Reform.