No Innocent Person Should Spend A Day In Prison

WE FREE INNOCENT PEOPLE FROM PRISON

Innocent people are often convicted of crimes they don’t commit. It’s a tragedy that can happen to anyone, and particularly impacts people living in over-policed communities, such as people with low-incomes, and those who are Black, Indigenous, and People of Color.

Wrongful convictions are traumatic, denying innocent people their basic human liberties and robbing them of years of their lives away from their homes and families. The victims of crime are denied true justice and the actual perpetrator is not held accountable.

Washington Innocence Project, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, uses direct legal representation to get innocence people out of prison, advocating for policy change to keep people from being wrongfully convicted in the first place, and offering support services to the wrongfully convicted and their families.

Legal Services

Policy Advocacy

Client/Family Support

HOLDING OURSELVES ACCOUNTABLE TO COMMUNITY

Black people are significantly more likely to be convicted of crimes they didn’t commit, serve longer sentences than non-Black people for the same crimes, and be impacted by all injustices within our court and prison systems. Anti-Black bias also impacts who is referred for our services, as well as our chances of successfully securing a full exoneration. We understand that we have not done enough internally to combat these biases, leading to a majority white group of freed and exonerated clients.

We are holding ourselves accountable and welcome community to do the same. To better serve those most impacted, we are working to engage with Black people and other Communities of Color to ensure they know about our work and that they will be prioritized in the cases we take on. Convictions often take years to overturn, but we expect that in the near future, our Freed and Exonerated Family will more accurately reflect the communities most impacted by wrongful convictions.

Reforming the System

Addressing wrongful convictions alone does not mean we have achieved true justice. Innocence work is one piece of a vast movement to confront injustice within our court and prison systems. While our mission is to advocate for innocent people, we also believe that the system should work equitably for everyone. In order to make deeper, more meaningful change, Washington Innocence Project is actively seeking partnerships with activists and organizations working on these wide-ranging issues.

Watch a recording of the Power of the Prosecutor community event.

Power of the Prosecutor

On May 31, Washington Innocence Project hosted a community discussion about the role and importance of prosecutors in the criminal justice system. WashIP aimed to create a space for and encourage community-led discussions about the importance of this elected office and the role of prosecutorial decision-making in achieving true justice.

Freedom Stories

Yakima County
Ted, who served his full ten-year sentence, was exonerated in 2010 after DNA evidence proved him innocent.
READ STORY

Ted Bradford

Spokane County
Robert was exonerated in July 2013 after serving four years of a 20-year sentence for a robbery he didn’t commit.
READ STORY

Robert Larson

King County
Brandon was exonerated in December 2013 after serving 10 years in prison for a robbery he didn’t commit.
READ STORY

Brandon Olebar

Read All Stories

Wrongful Convictions by
the Numbers

15

Washington Innocence Project Exonerated Clients

10

Washington Innocence Project Freed Clients

52

innocent people fully exonerated in Washington State since 1989

171

years lost by Washington Innocence Project Freed and Exonerated Family to wrongful imprisonment in Washington State

7,000,0000

cost to Washington taxpayers for wrongfully incarcerating Washington Innocence Project’s Freed and Exonerated Clients

15,700,0000

total savings to Washington taxpayers resulting from Washington Innocence Project Freed and Exonerated Clients’ release

Learn How This Happens

Watch our video and hear directly from our exonerees and freed clients on the impact wrongful convictions have had on their lives and the lives of their loved ones.

The Toll of Wrongful Conviction

Wrongful conviction is deeply traumatic for everyone involved. We provide social and emotional support and connect exonerees and freed clients to services and resources so they can get back on their feet and return to the lives they’ve been missing. We also help connect them with a community of freed and exonerated people who can provide a type of support and understanding that no one else can. Watch our video and hear directly from our exonerees and freed clients on the impact wrongful convictions have had on their lives and the lives of their loved ones.

Your support powers the truth

We need your help to free the innocent men and women wrongly imprisoned today, and to help stop innocent people from being wrongfully convicted in the future.

Stand for Justice With Us