Significant Boost for University of Arizona Innocence Project with $1.5 Million DOJ Grant
The University of Arizona Innocence Project has received a major boost in its mission to address wrongful convictions, thanks to a $1.5 million grant from the Department of Justice. This funding aims to enhance their efforts in scrutinizing potential wrongful convictions, particularly through the lens of DNA evidence.
This newly acquired funding is anticipated to play a pivotal role in advancing criminal justice reform in Arizona. Despite nationwide progress in DNA testing leading to numerous exonerations, Arizona has only recorded three DNA-based exonerations since 1989.
“This grant means we can push forward, looking deeply into cases where DNA has the potential to prove innocence and pursuing relief for those who have been wrongfully convicted,” stated Vanessa Buch, the director of the University of Arizona Innocence Project, housed within the James E. Rogers College of Law.
The grant, sourced from the Department of Justice’s Bureau of Justice Assistance in the Office of Justice Programs, marks the largest ever received by the U of A Innocence Project, tripling their previous highest award.
With the intake of innocence claims reaching unprecedented levels, the project faces the challenge of navigating a complex legal environment and addressing a backlog that could otherwise take years. This grant will facilitate the expansion of case evaluations and the re-examination of old evidence through advanced DNA analysis, potentially offering new insights in cases previously deemed inconclusive.
“DNA testing is incredibly costly, and without these resources, a clinic like ours couldn’t tackle cases that might require multiple rounds of testing or new, more advanced methods,” explained Virginia Morris, assistant director of the U of A Innocence Project. “Even just accessing older case files can be time-consuming and expensive. This grant provides us with funding to obtain records, travel when needed, and consult additional experts to give each case the attention it deserves.”
The grant also supports the involvement of more law students, who are crucial to the project’s investigative efforts. These students gain valuable hands-on experience in legal practice, case review, and criminal justice reform. Under the guidance of Buch and Morris, they engage in reviewing case files, investigating evidence, and conducting fieldwork, ranging from witness interviews to prison visits.
“Often in law school, students are presented with a prepared fact pattern to analyze. In our program, students are tasked with building their own fact pattern through a rigorous review of the record,” Buch remarked. “When they take on an intake case, they’re part of the process from the beginning. They learn how to build a case file, examine existing evidence, and strategize ways to uncover new evidence in support of innocence.”
Morris pointed out that for many students, the experience provides a fresh perspective on the criminal justice system. Their involvement from the outset gives them ownership over cases and insight into the emotional toll on those wrongfully convicted.
In more complex cases, students may draft legal documents, interview witnesses, and meet with individuals who have spent years or even decades in prison. These interactions are often transformative, both professionally and personally, as noted by Morris.
As the grant enables the clinic to expand its investigative capacity, it also strengthens the partnership with the Conviction and Sentence Integrity Unit of the Pima County Attorney’s Office. This collaboration, initially supported by a previous Department of Justice grant, encourages cooperation between prosecutors and defense advocates in the joint re-investigation of cases, aligning efforts to seek justice.
The grant further highlights the growing national recognition of Buch’s work and the clinic’s esteemed reputation. For Morris, this funding reflects not only the Innocence Project’s expertise but also the community’s trust in its mission.
“This award isn’t just about one proposal,” Morris said. “It’s a testament to what Vanessa has built at the College of Law. This award recognizes the U of A Innocence Project’s expertise, the reputation that it has in the community, and the impact of the clinic.”
As the project proceeds with its expanded team, the grant presents a unique opportunity to review hundreds of cases and bring attention to systemic issues within Arizona’s criminal justice system.
“Our hope is that by focusing on DNA cases, we’ll learn more about errors in the system and start to break down barriers to exoneration in Arizona,” Buch expressed.
Read More Here
