04/20/2026
Last weekend, members from AJP attended the annual Innocence Network Conference in Chicago. The Innocence Network is comprised of over 70 organizations worldwide dedicated to identifying and exonerating the wrongfully convicted, working to address systemic causes of wrongful conviction, and advocating to compensate and support individuals who have suffered the unimaginable of wrongful arrest, conviction, and incarceration.
The conference, which is always humbling, inspiring, and extremely impactful, brought together over 1,300 individuals from the innocence community around the world, including advocates, experts, freed and exonerated individuals, family members, and friends. We were fortunate to be amongst so many dedicated individuals with the expertise, passion, and experience that fuels the heart and soul of this incredibly important work.
The reports that 3,798 individuals have been exonerated since 1989 — a combined 35,447 years lost. At the conference this year, more than 300 individuals who suffered wrongful conviction were in attendance, totaling 6,832+ years lost. It is important that we continue this work to identify and represent wrongfully convicted individuals in Arizona, to find a path to freedom, and assist clients upon release.
Thank you for another great conference and for bringing all of us together.