Innocence Network Annual Conference 2024

The Innocence Network Annual Conference is a gathering that unites individuals directly affected by wrongful convictions, advocates, and professionals dedicated to exonerating the innocent, preventing future injustices, and offering post-release support. Organized by the Innocence Network, this annual event fosters learning, collaboration, and healing through educational programs, relationship-building, collective action, and healing.

The conference features sessions across various focus areas, including Case Intake, Evaluation, & Investigation; Forensic Science & Social Science; Post-Conviction Litigation; Post-Release/Reentry Support, Social Work, Trauma-Informed Practice; Community Outreach, Engagement, & Organizing; Organizational Development; Race and Wrongful Conviction; and Emerging Areas. Notable sessions encompass "Getting Your Record Straight: Dealing with Collateral Consequences of Wrongful Conviction," "Reflecting on the Purpose of Art in Processing Trauma," "Financial Knowledge and Skills for All Freed & Exonerated People," "Off the Benches and Into the Trenches: Getting Into Court, Even if Creatively, To Move Cases Forward," "Today’s Technology, Tomorrow's Exonerations: How New Technology Can Entrench and Amplify Racial Bias in Policing," and "Field Drug Tests: Coerced Pleas, Wrongful Convictions, and Racial Injustice."

The event offers opportunities for networking, with an exhibit featuring resources from the Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA). Attendees can engage with experts, access materials, and participate in discussions aimed at advancing the mission of the Innocence Network.

This conference is ideal for individuals involved in criminal justice reform, legal professionals, social workers, advocates, and anyone interested in addressing wrongful convictions and supporting the exonerated. It provides a platform to share knowledge, collaborate on strategies, and contribute to the ongoing efforts to rectify injustices within the legal system.