Empowering the innocent (ETI) is a research project aimed at criminal justice reform that gives voice to alleged innocent victims of wrongful convictions that they can use in their struggles for justice.

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Empowering the Innocence (ETI) has so far set up four subprojects, CCRC Watch, False Allegations Watch (FAW), Innocence Art and Empowering the Innocent TV (ETI TV).

 

• CCRC Watch features articles which centre on applications that are rejected by the CCRC, not because applicants are not innocent but, rather, because they are not deemed to have the so called 'fresh' evidence required to fulfil the 'real possibility' test and have their case referred back to the Court of Appeal (Criminal Division). CCRC Watch also features research articles on the wider limitations of the CCRC in dealing with applications from alleged innocent victims of wrongful convictions.

• False Allegations Watch (FAW) features articles which centre on alleged false allegations, charges or wrongful convictions for sexual offences. False Allegations Watch (FAW) also features articles on the wider context within which false allegations of sexual offences can occur, including the legislation, policies and/or cultures that can act to facilitate or enable such false allegations to be made. 

• Innocence Art features art works that have been produced in response to the issues of false allegations, wrongful convictions and/or wrongful imprisonment, including poetry, songs, paintings, drawings, photographs, official documents and letters.

• Empowering the Innocent TV (ETI TV) communicates the work of ETI and its subprojects with videos and podcasts of alleged wrongful conviction cases and other issues relevant to the work of ETI.

 

Together, these subprojects highlight the limitations and/or outright failings of the existing structures, procedures and cultures of the criminal justice system and the existing systems for overturning alleged wrongful convictions. The overall aim is to foster public support as a precursor to criminal justice system reforms that can guarantee that all innocent victims of wrongful convictions can overturn their convictions.

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