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Washington DC – Congressman Donald M. Payne introduced legislation yesterday that would assist innocent men and women who have been wrongly convicted of crimes they did not commit as they re-integrate back into society. The Restitution for the Exonerated Act of 2007 would create a competitive grant program in the US Department of Justice for nonprofit organizations that address the unique needs of the exoneree community.
Representative Payne stated, “Thanks to advancements in DNA technology, we are seeing more and more individuals being released from prison every year after serving time for crimes they did not commit. When one includes other factors such as coerced confessions, incompetent defense, false testimony and the suppression of evidence, the number increases.”
When exonerees are released from prison, they are faced with challenges that are nuanced and difficult to overcome. Outside of the typical prisoner re-entry issues of employment and education, exonerees must cope with the emotional and psychological trauma that wrongful imprisonment entails. Furthermore, as exonerees are released from prison they are forced to fend for themselves in system that is set up for them to fail. On one hand, they confront many obstacles as simple as receiving basic social services such as housing and health care to as difficult as having their records expunged. On the other hand, they are denied the network of social services to which the guilty are entitled.
“Oftentimes, men and women from the exonerated community fall through the cracks. That is why this bill is so essential and timely. The Restitution for the Exonerated Act of 2007 will improve access for exonerees to much-needed resources that will allow them to reclaim their lives after it was unjustly taken from them.”
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