BJA FY 23 Upholding the Rule of Law and Preventing Wrongful Convictions Program

OJP is committed to advancing work that promotes civil rights and racial equity, increases access to justice, supports crime victims and individuals impacted by the justice system, strengthens community safety and protects the public from crime and evolving threats, and builds trust between law enforcement and the community. The ROL/WCR Program supports efforts by wrongful conviction review entities (WCR entities) that represent individuals with post-conviction claims of innocence to review individual cases, and conviction integrity or review units (CIUs) to enhance criminal justice system integrity.

County, state, or local public defender offices that have in-house post-conviction representation programs that show demonstrable experience and competence in litigating post-conviction claims of innocence. If the applicant is not a WCR entity, they must be partnered with one.