Michaela Riley

Convicting an innocent person represents a failure in our criminal justice system.

With the advent of DNA evidence, we can now know with absolute certainty that certain convictions were mistakes. But how did the police, prosecutor, judge, and jury all find this person guilty beyond a reasonable doubt? Criminal Justice Reform Commissions enable us to review the case, identify the causes of mistaken conviction, and recommend remedial steps to avoid future mistaken convictions.

When innocent people are the focus of investigations and prosecution, the real perpetrator evades responsibility. By improving the operation of our criminal justice system, Criminal Justice Reform Commissions are just good law enforcement.

What is a Criminal Justice Reform Commission?

A Criminal Justice Reform Commission is an independent investigative committee comprised of key players from throughout the criminal justice system, including prosecutors, judges, police officers, defense attorneys and forensic scientists. They examine post-conviction DNA exonerations to establish their causes and recommend changes to prevent future wrongful convictions.

The key features of Criminal Justice Reform Commissions are subpoena power, access to first-rate investigative resources, and political independence. These commissions must be trusted to speak out about cases where the system fails. Finally, they must consist of distinguished players from all aspects of the criminal justice system, so that their findings will be trusted, respected, and acted upon.

Innocence Project

http://www.innocenceproject.org/Content/Criminal_Justice_Reform_Commissions.php

So you may wonder if the Judicial System is here to protect Americans from unfair judgement and conviction how does an innocent American end up in Prison for a crime they did not commit...

Department of Justice Mission Statement

"To enforce the law and defend the interests of the United States according to the law; to ensure public safety against threats foreign and domestic; to provide federal leadership in preventing and controlling crime; to seek just punishment for those guilty of unlawful behavior; and to ensure fair and impartial administration of justice for all Americans."