Assisting the Factually Innocent: The Contradictions and Compatibility of Innocence Projects and the Criminal Cases Review Commission

30 Pages Posted: 9 Nov 2008

See all articles by Stephanie Roberts

Stephanie Roberts

University of Westminster - School of Law

Lynne Weathered

Griffith University - Griffith Law School

Abstract

The Criminal Cases Review Commission (CCRC) was the first publicly funded body created to investigate claims of wrongful conviction, withthe power to refer cases to the Court of Appeal. In other countries, such as Australia, Canada and the United States, many regard the CCRC as the optimal solution to wrongful conviction and, for years, Innocence Projects in these countries have called for the establishment of a CCRC-style body in their own jurisdictions. However, it is now Innocence Projects which are being introduced in England and Wales to try to assist applicants who are innocent but convicted. This article reviews why the CCRC was created, discusses the role of factual innocence within this body and within the criminal justice system generally and explores why Innocence Projects are being created in England and Wales, despite the presence of the CCRC. It explains how these different organizations may work together to assist factually innocent people who have been wrongly convicted, and the role Innocence Projects may play generally in criminal justice reform and legal education.

Keywords: Innocence, wrongful convictions, Criminal Cases Review Commission, Innocence Projects

Suggested Citation

Roberts, Stephanie and Weathered, Lynne, Assisting the Factually Innocent: The Contradictions and Compatibility of Innocence Projects and the Criminal Cases Review Commission. Oxford Journal of Legal Studies Advance Access, pp. 1-28, August 2008 , U. of Westminster School of Law Research Paper No. 09-04, Griffith Socio-Legal Research Centre, Research Paper No. 09-11, Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=1296551

Stephanie Roberts (Contact Author)

University of Westminster - School of Law ( email )

4-12 Little Titchfield Street
London, W1W 7UW
United Kingdom

Lynne Weathered

Griffith University - Griffith Law School ( email )

Nathan Campus, GU
Nathan 4111
Australia

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