Cardiff University Innocence Project
Cardiff University Innocence Project conducts casework, research, and advocacy on the topic of miscarriages of justice and is the only university Innocence Project in the UK to have helped overturn cases at the Court of Appeal.
Casework
Students on Cardiff University Innocence Project work tirelessly to help people who claim to have been wrongfully convicted of a crime.
We investigate their case, liaising where appropriate and possible with a range of experts in the field, including appeal lawyers, forensic scientists, and other relevant experts.
To date, we have assisted with the submission of more than 25 applications to the Criminal Cases Review Commission, the organisation empowered to refer cases to the Court of Appeal.
Our successes
We are proud of our successes and continue to highlight the significant flaws within our current criminal justice system; using our experience to advocate for reform.
Research and advocacy
In addition to our casework, Cardiff University Innocence Project raises awareness of the shortcomings of the criminal justice system and the appeals process.
In our experience, the system is not conducive to helping innocent people who have been wrongly convicted, and we work closely with interested persons and organisations to advocate for change.
When I first heard about Cardiff University Innocence Project, I learned that the system, which should serve as a safety net for society, is sometimes flawed and that people can be failed by it. I couldn’t bear to see the consequence of a miscarriage of justice upon innocent people and their families and this is why I decided to use the knowledge I have to help.
Published articles
Professor Julie Price and Dr Dennis Eady have contributed numerous articles to The Justice Gap, an online magazine that sheds light on the crisis in our justice system.
Policy work
We use our casework and research to advocate for policy changes.
The Open Justice Charter
In collaboration with Appeal, Inside Justice, and Dr Marika Henneberg, we have developed the Open Justice Charter, which calls for greater transparency in the criminal justice system.
Evidence to Parliament
Due to our extensive experience of research into miscarriages of justice, we are called upon to contribute to a variety of wide-ranging reports and papers in Parliament:
- Submission to the Justice Select Committee inquiry on issues relating to disclosure of evidence, submitted with the Centre for Criminal Appeals in 2018
- Report of the House of Commons’ Justice Committee’s Review of the Criminal Cases Review Commission
- Oral and written evidence to the Westminster Commission of Miscarriages of Justice 2019
Collaboration with other organisations
Both Professor Price and Dr Eady are, or have been involved with, in an advisory capacity, various organisations that seek law reform.
These include:
- The European Innocence Network
- The Innocence Network UK (INUK)
- Criminal Cases Review Commission Stakeholders Group
- South Wales Against Wrongful Conviction
- Falsely Accused Support Organisation (FASO)
- Falsely Accused Carers and Teachers (FACT)
- Appeal
- All-Party Parliamentary Group on Miscarriages of Justice
- Innovation of Justice
- Inside Justice
