Innocence Projects & Support Groups

‘Facing Allegations in Contexts of Trust’ supports people throughout the UK — and their spouses or partners — who have been accused of misconduct, usually abuse or assault, but who maintain their innocence. They run a legal helpline, publish a newsletter and list relevant books.

factuk.org ↗

The False Allegation Support Organisation is a UK-based voluntary organisation supporting people affected by false allegations of abuse, at whatever stage of the process. Its volunteers run a free, confidential helpline and email support, and its document library covers arrest, going through the courts, prison and family issues, alongside news updates.

false-allegations.org.uk ↗

A charity and law practice dedicated to fighting miscarriages of justice and demanding reform, taking on the cases of people with unsafe convictions or unfair sentences who cannot afford to pay for a lawyer themselves.

appeal.org.uk ↗

The Association for Prisoners Maintaining Innocence supports and campaigns for prisoners, ex-prisoners and people on probation who maintain their innocence after conviction. Founded in 2004, it offers information and guidance, does research and lobbies on parole and progression barriers. It does not take on cases or give legal advice.

prisonersmaintaininginnocence.org.uk ↗

‘Joint Enterprise: Not Guilty by Association’ is a volunteer-run campaign supporting the families and friends of people who believe they were wrongly convicted under the joint enterprise doctrine. Founded in 2010, it campaigns for reform of the law. It is not an innocence project and does not give legal advice, though it may signpost you.

jengba.co.uk ↗

A London-based support organisation for people in England and Wales facing false allegations of domestic abuse or coercive control, especially in family court. It connects clients with McKenzie Friends, specialist solicitors, barristers and therapists, and runs a peer support community. It is a paid service, not a charity.

falselyaccusednetwork.co.uk ↗

A pro bono staff-student project at the University of Manchester, founded by Professor Claire McGourlay, that helps the wrongfully convicted and pushes for change in the justice system. Established in 2020, it is one of only two projects in England and Wales in the Innocence Network, and produces The Innocence Podcast.

socialresponsibility.manchester.ac.uk ↗ The Innocence Podcast ↗

Set up at Cardiff University’s law school in 2006, it was one of the UK’s first innocence projects, with students reviewing the cases of people maintaining their innocence. It is the only UK university project to have helped overturn convictions at the Court of Appeal. Its staff write the ‘Justice Delusion’ series on The Justice Gap.

cardiff.ac.uk ↗ The Justice Delusion series ↗

Based at the University of Greenwich since 2010 and a registered charity since 2020. Law and criminology students work with practising lawyers to investigate claims of innocence from people who have already exhausted their appeals, with the aim of applying to the Criminal Cases Review Commission.

gre.ac.uk ↗

A group ‘educating to overturn and prevent the wrongful conviction of innocent people’ that ran from 2004 to 2015. Its website is now offline, but an archived copy preserves its INQUIRY newsletter and articles on problems with the legal system and the case for legal reform in the UK.

web.archive.org ↗

One of the best-known organisations actively working to overturn wrongful convictions in the US. It also pursues case-law and policy reform to help prevent and address wrongful convictions, and supports exonerees after release.

innocenceproject.org ↗

Founded in 2001 at the University of Illinois Springfield, it works to free innocent people wrongfully convicted in Illinois. It also trains students in actual-innocence law, works with lawmakers on reform and runs wrongful-conviction awareness training for police.

illinoisinnocenceproject.org ↗

Formerly Innocence Project New Orleans, this non-profit law firm has represented people with post-conviction innocence claims in Louisiana since 2001. It also challenges unjust sentences, supports clients after release and campaigns for reform.

justicelouisiana.org ↗

A Notre Dame Law School clinic in which law students investigate and litigate claims of actual innocence, mainly for people imprisoned in Indiana. It supports exonerated clients with education, training, housing and counselling, and works with other clinics on legislative reform.

exoneration.nd.edu ↗

Based at the University of Cincinnati College of Law since 2003, it works to free innocent people convicted of crimes in Ohio. Law student fellows work on its cases, and it also pursues policy and legislative reform. It has helped free more than 40 people.

law.uc.edu ↗

Based in Nashville with an office in Memphis, it investigates and litigates claims of factual innocence for people in prison who cannot afford a lawyer and whose direct appeal has been denied. It also offers re-entry support, pursues policy reform and runs public education.

tninnocence.org ↗

An independent non-profit launched in 2023 by former California Innocence Project staff. It works to free wrongfully convicted people, educate the public on the causes of wrongful conviction and support exonerees as they re-enter society. It currently accepts cases from California and Idaho.

theinnocencecenter.org ↗

A Chicago home opened in 2026 by exoneree Marilyn Mulero for women rebuilding their lives after a wrongful conviction or long imprisonment. It offers trauma-informed counselling and mental health support, help with housing and work, and coordination of legal advocacy.

wrongfulconvictiontraumacenter.com ↗

Founded by legal researcher Diana Davison to research false accusations and wrongful convictions for sexual assault and domestic violence. Its articles, published up to 2022, remain a useful resource. Davison now works as a legal researcher at the Toronto defence firm Neuberger & Partners and contributes to its sexual assault law newsletter.

thelighthouseproject.ca ↗ Diana Davison at Neuberger & Partners ↗

Australia’s longest-running innocence project, founded at Griffith Law School in Queensland in 2001. Law students, lawyers and academics review, pro bono, the cases of people who have lost their appeal but still maintain their innocence.

griffith.edu.au ↗

An affiliation of over 70 organisations from all over the world. The directory lets you search affiliated organisations by country or city, or browse an alphabetical listing.

innocencenetwork.org ↗