I have written before about people I've met, and the many more I haven't met, who have served time in prison -- some on death row -- for crimes they did not commit.
The lucky ones eventually got freed based on DNA or other evidence. But many others are not so lucky.
Many are trapped in our prisons knowing they are innocent, and knowing there is evidence available to prove their innocence, but the courts won't admit the evidence. In other words, they are denied justice.
The Innocence Project is a lawyer-led organization working to exonerate wrongfully convicted people. And this week they launched a new campaign -- "947 Years: In their prime. In prison. Innocent." -- to educate and engage youth in preventing wrongful convictions.
This new campaign focuses on people who were wrongfully imprisoned when they were just kids. As a campaign announcement tells us, "One-third of the people exonerated by DNA testing nationwide were arrested between the ages of 14 and 22. They served a combined total of 947 years in prison for crimes they didn't commit."
That's 947 wasted years that these people will never get back.
Learn more:
>> Watch a two-minute video on the subject and learn more.
Take action:
>> Sign a petition for access to post-conviction DNA testing that can prove innocence.
The petition calls on state lawmakers to pass legislation ensuring that all people convicted of crimes can appeal for DNA testing when it has the potential to overturn their conviction.
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