Postconviction Stories
Our system of criminal justice is best described as a search for the truth. Increasingly, the forensic use of DNA technology is an important ally in that search.
The development of DNA technology furthers the search for truth by helping police and prosecutors in the fight against violent crime. Through the use of DNA evidence, prosecutors are often able to conclusively establish the guilt of a defendant. Moreover, as some of the commentaries suggest, DNA evidence — like fingerprint evidence — offers prosecutors important new tools for the identification and apprehension of some of the most violent perpetrators, particularly in cases of sexual assault.
At the same time, DNA aids the search for truth by exonerating the innocent. The criminal justice system is not infallible, and there are many documented cases cases in which the search for truth took a tortuous path. Back in 1996, the National Institute of Justice funded researchers to document a number of these cases. Select a name under "Case Studies of Exoneration" to learn their stories.
For more recent stories, visit the Innocence Projects case profiles page. The Innocence Project was founded to assist prisoners who could be proven innocent through DNA testing.
This introductory text and case studies have been excerpted from the National Institute of Justice Report Convicted by Juries, Exonerated by Science: Case Studies in the Use of DNA Evidence to Establish Innocence After Trial.
