Innocence Project
About the Innocence Project
The University of Strathclyde Law Clinic has recently linked up with the Department of Journalism to become part the Strathclyde Innocence Project, Scotland's first campus-based Innocence Project. This project was set up in 2007-08 by Dr. Eamonn O'Neill, Director of the MSc. in Investigative Journalism at Strathclyde, and is part of the Innocence Network UK (INUK), which was established in 2004 to act as an independent umbrella organisation to investigate claims of wrongful convictions of factually innocent people.
The Innocence Project is effectively the last resort for those who genuinely believe themselves to be innocent but who have exhausted the appeal process. The role of the Project is to analyse the circumstances of the conviction, the people and documents connected to the case, and search for fresh evidence in striving to achieve access to justice for those wrongly convicted. Following this a submission may be lodged to the Scottish Criminal Cases Review Commission (SCCRC) detailing the identified points of appeal in the hope that appeal to the High Court will be allowed. However, the Innocence Project will only appeal where the evidence suggests the person is genuinely innocent, rather than merely having technical grounds of appeal.
Currently, eight Law Clinic students are involved with the Innocence Project.
For more information on the Innocence Project or any other aspect of the Law Clinic, please email enquiries@lawclinic.org.uk. You can also visit the Innocence Network Website.
