Innocence Blog

States slow to create compensation programs

Posted: September 13, 2007 3:09 pm

Only 22 states have laws compensating the wrongfully convicted after their release, and many of those laws are inadequate, as they haven’t been updated for years. An Associated Press story yesterday examines the situation nationwide, and reviews the Innocence Project’s ongoing efforts to create programs nationwide that help exonerees get back on their feet after release.

When Antonio Beaver was freed from prison by DNA evidence, he was overwhelmed by supporters eager to help him return to normal life after spending nearly 11 years behind bars.

After his release in March, some promised jobs. Others set up a charitable fund in his name. Relatives offered assistance, too. But six months later, Beaver was quick to list the number of people he could still count on: One.

"You got to fend for yourself," said Beaver, who was wrongly imprisoned in 1997 for a violent carjacking. "Everybody's making promises: 'We're going to do this and do that.' Ain't nobody done nothing yet. I got to deal with it, man. It's just the way our society is."

Read the full article here. (Associated Press, 09/12/2007)

What’s the law in your state? View our map to find out.

Read more about the Innocence Project’s recommended compensation reforms.

Tags: Antonio Beaver, Exoneree Compensation