Actual Innocence

3 credits · Law School

This course explores the legal landscape of wrongful conviction of the factually innocent. Students review empirical evidence of the prevalence of wrongful conviction; examine its most common causes, including false confessions and faulty eyewitness testimony; dissect the legal procedures by which it may be discovered and corrected, including state post-conviction relief, federal habeas claims, and standards for accessing DNA testing; and evaluate compensation schemes and reintegration programs for those determined to have been wrongly convicted. [3]