Idaho Innocence Project

What is the Idaho Innocence Project?

The Idaho Innocence Project operating out of Boise State University works with DNA and closed cases to bring wrongfully convicted individuals of Idaho back to court with additional evidence, and a chance at freedom. This project does two very moral things. One; is they work to save the innocent from spending their life in prison. The other is reopening closed cases so that the person who truly committed the crime, can be put rightfully behind bars. Not one person wants to pay for the crimes of another, but even our great court system makes many mistakes. The Idaho innocence project, along with many politicians, is currently working to resolve some of the simplest of mistakes. Reforming the criminal law system, and making sure that whoever falls prey to the workings of the court shall receive proper compensation.

Where did the Idaho Innocence Project Come From?

The Idaho Innocence Project grew out of our country-wide Innocence Project, which proudly boasts a rather impressive record, and individuals within this project even work to exonerate Americans convicted in other countries for similar crimes. One of the biggest things about The Innocence Project is that they mainly work with people facing life and/or death row. Wrongfully convicted murderers, and rapists, among other horrid and violent crimes, the worst part? The real criminals got away. DNA is known for being a miracle worker in the criminal justice system, and since 1989, where the first person was exonerated based on DNA evidence, a total of 375 out of suspected thousands of innocent people have found their peace, of which 190 were helped specifically by the Innocence Project. The average amount of years spent in prison was 14 years, and among all exonerees, only 268 people were compensated by the government. Even worse? Among all 50 states, only 37 have won exonerations. Thankfully, Idaho is one of those that has saved and is working to save people who were simply in the wrong place at the wrong time.

What is Idaho Doing For Exonerees and Wrongfully Convicted Individuals Still in Prison?

The first thing Idaho has done for the wrongfully convicted was to create an entirely different way for convicts to make appeals. This category is based on the insistence of prisoners post-conviction that they are innocent and involves appealing with the trial court that entered the conviction for DNA testing. This makes it possible for prisoners who were put behind bars before the technology was available, to use these new resources in their appeal. Idaho took up this law in 2001, only nine years after the creation of the Innocence Project. Sadly, this entire statute is rather useless considering that there are no laws requiring evidence preservation, or for investigation teams to record interrogations, or even a law ensuring the prevention of mistaken eyewitness identification.

On the other hand, As of March 2021 (this year!), Idaho has adopted a law ensuring government compensation for wrongful convictions of innocents. For every year an Idahoan has been wrongfully convicted, $62,000 shall be provided to the victim, $ 75,000 each year served on death row, and $ 25,000 for every year spent wrongfully on the sex offender registry. A big step in the right direction, and hope for the bright future of criminal procedure.

Interested in more about The Innocence Project?

Below are a number of articles, websites, podcasts, and documentaries about a number of things that The Innocence PRoject has done or committed to.

• Innocence Project Official Website

  • Read stories related to the Innocence Project, find out about current events, search up cases, states, and general information on this website.

• Morning Cup Of Murder Podcast - Amanda Knox

  • A famous case where a young woman was accused, in Italy, of murdering her roommate, despite the evidence being minimal.

• Idaho DNA Statute

  • Idaho law that began the Idaho Innocence Project