Back Innocence Project German Innocence Project Spanish Innocence Project Finnish Innocence Project French פרויקט החפות HE イノセンス・プロジェクト Japanese Innocence Project Dutch Innocence Project Polish 清白專案 Chinese

Innocence Project

Innocence Project, Inc.
Formation1992 (1992)[1]
Founder
TypeNonprofit organization
32-0077563[2]
Legal status501(c)(3)[2]
Purpose
Headquarters40 Worth Street,
New York, NY 10013
Region
United States
Executive Director
Christina Swarns[3]
Jack Taylor[4]
AffiliationsThe Innocence Network
Revenue (2020)
$21,373,256[5]: 1 
Expenses (2020)$15,944,005[5]: 1 
Endowment$21,620,304 (2020)[5]: 33 
Employees91[5]: 1  (in 2020)
Volunteers (2020)
22[5]: 1 
Websiteinnocenceproject.org

Innocence Project, Inc. is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit legal organization that works to exonerate the wrongly convicted through DNA testing and other forms of post-conviction relief, as well as advocate for criminal justice reform to prevent future injustice.[1][6] The group cites various studies estimating that in the United States between 1% and 10% of all prisoners are innocent.[7][8][9][10] The Innocence Project was founded in 1992 by Barry Scheck and Peter Neufeld who gained national attention in the mid-1990s as part of the "Dream Team" of lawyers who formed part of the defense in the O. J. Simpson murder case.[11]

As of 2021, the Innocence Project has helped to successfully overturn over 300 convictions through DNA-based exonerations.[12][13] In 2021, Innocence Project received the biennial Milton Friedman Prize for Advancing Liberty by Cato Institute, awarded in recognition and gratitude for its work to ensure liberty and justice for all.[14] In March 2022, The Innocence Project won two Webby Awards for its Happiest Moments video, winning the Best Humanitarian & Services campaign in both the brand and non-profit categories. Happiest Moments was the organization's first-ever public service announcement that premiered in June 2021 and was produced by Hayden5.[15][16]

  1. ^ a b Cite error: The named reference about was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  2. ^ a b "Innocence Project Inc. (within Search for Tax Exempt Organizations)". Internal Revenue Service. Retrieved August 11, 2021.
  3. ^ "Staff - Christina Swarns". Innocence Project.
  4. ^ "Board of Directors - Jack Taylor". Innocence Project.
  5. ^ a b c d e "2020 Form 990 for Innocence Project Inc. (within Search for Tax Exempt Organizations)". Internal Revenue Service. Retrieved August 11, 2021.
  6. ^ "Innocence Project - Weil, Gotshal & Manges LLP". www.weil.com. Retrieved June 5, 2023.
  7. ^ Grisham, John (March 14, 2018). "Why the innocent end up in prison". Chicago Tribune.
  8. ^ Haavik, Emily (May 31, 2021). "How many innocent people are in U.S. prisons, and why can't we find them?". KARE11.
  9. ^ Schwartzapfel, Beth; Levintova, Hannah (December 12, 2011). "How Many Innocent People Are in Prison?". Mother Jones.
  10. ^ "How many innocent people are there in prison?". Innocence Project. December 12, 2011. Retrieved September 13, 2018.
  11. ^ "The Innocence Project". Crime Museum. Retrieved June 5, 2023.
  12. ^ Laporte, Gerald M (September 7, 2017). "Wrongful Convictions and DNA Exonerations: Understanding the Role of Forensic Science". National Institute of Justice.
  13. ^ Cite error: The named reference DNA Exonerations was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  14. ^ "Cato Institute Awards 2021 Milton Friedman Prize to the Innocence Project". Cato Institute. 2021. Retrieved July 16, 2021.
  15. ^ Top Spot of the Week: Hayden5 Captures "Happiest Moments," First-Ever PSA For The Innocence Project at Shoot Online; by Robert Goldrich; published July 2, 2021; retrieved May 20, 2022
  16. ^ The Innocence Project's first PSA captures the ‘Happiest Moments’ at Campaign US; by Mariah Cooper; published July 6, 2021; retrieved May 20, 2022

Developed by StudentB