Innocence Project Praises U.S. Senate for Passing Justice for All Reauthorization Act

06.16.16 By Innocence Staff

Innocence Project Praises U.S. Senate for Passing Justice for All Reauthorization Act

Bill would reauthorize Kirk Bloodsworth DNA Testing Program, Coverdell Forensic Science Program and enhance access to post-conviction DNA testing 

(Washington, DC — June 16, 2016) Today, the United States Senate passed the Justice for All Reauthorization Act, cosponsored by Senators John Cornyn (R-TX) and Patrick Leahy (D-VT).  This bill would reauthorize critical criminal justice provisions that would improve public safety by expanding access to post-conviction DNA testing which helps to exonerate the innocent and identify the real perpetrators of crime.

“The Innocence Project applauds the Senate for passing the Justice For All Reauthorization Act, and thanks Senators Cornyn and Leahy for their leadership on this critical legislation,” stated Barry Scheck, Co-Director of the Innocence Project, which is affiliated with Cardozo School of Law.  “This bill would improve fairness and public safety by reauthorizing important, evidence-based programs that have led to many exonerations, including those that have identified real perpetrators of crime. I urge members of the House to follow suit by swiftly passing this important legislation.” 

“The Kirk Bloodsworth Post-Conviction DNA Testing Program has helped lead to 28 exonerations.” – R. Brown

Among its components, the legislation would reauthorize the Kirk Bloodsworth Post-Conviction DNA Testing Program, which has helped lead to the exoneration of 28 wrongfully convicted persons; enhance access to post-conviction DNA testing in the federal system; and reauthorize the Coverdell Forensic Science Improvement Program, which supports capacity of crime labs to process forensic evidence while helping to ensure crime lab accountability.  

“The Kirk Bloodsworth Post-Conviction DNA Testing Program has helped lead to 28 exonerations, revealing at least 10 real perpetrators in those cases, some of whom unfortunately went on to commit other serious, violent crimes,” said Rebecca Brown, Policy Director for the Innocence Project. “The evidence-based programs in the Justice For All Reauthorization Act work to prevent and reveal wrongful convictions, help provide true justice to victims, and ensure greater accountability and fairness in the criminal justice system. The House should take the lead of the Senate and pass this vital bill.”  

The National Registry of Exonerations currently lists over 1,800 exonerations since 1989, 342 of which were based primarily on DNA.  In approximately half of the DNA cases, the true perpetrator went on to commit additional serious crimes before being identified.

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Desta Weldegeorgis June 17, 2016 at 11:33 am Reply   

It is really a great….news and I am sure It will save so many lives around the globe. What about if people’s DNA or Hormones has been changed through a “human error or invisible crime”. Will it include the samples of the person taken before he/she was considered as a criminal? What about if the previously taken samples (blood, DNA and/or hormones) are deliberately eliminated by the person who is going to be the suspect of the misconduct? I think that sometimes it may probably need a broad wide range study which may include historians who knows how to dig out previous samples which represent the person’s physiology or background, genetists and/or, may be, evolutionists. The reason, I say this is that I have read about how innocents could prepared (through series of abuses) in such a way that the crime digger could be a winner. Again, it is a very special bill but it may probably need tremendous resources and human power as crimes committed in the 21st century may be a bit complicated.