I became the Innocence Project’s new executive director not long after the national uprisings sparked by the police killings of Ahmaud Arbery, George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, and too many others.
These horrifying tragedies reminded people across the world that racial bias and discrimination continue to hinder the fair and equal administration of justice. The exoneration cases tell the same painful story: The majority of people exonerated by DNA evidence are Black and government (police and prosecutors) misconduct contributed to more than half of all wrongful convictions. In order to protect the innocent and bring much-needed reform to the legal system, the Innocence Project is working hard to advance policy changes that address police misconduct and ensure meaningful law enforcement accountability and transparency.
Even though the year is ending, this period is crucial for us as we set budgets and allocate resources for all we hope to accomplish in the new year. And what we raise over the next couple of weeks will directly impact how big we can dream in 2021.
This year has been difficult for so many reasons, and it’s also been a testament to how far we still have to go as a nation. I’m so honored to help lead the Innocence Project into 2021 and grateful to have you by my side.
Thank you so much for your support,
Christina
Christina Swarns
Executive Director
Innocence Project
The Innocence Project exonerates the wrongly convicted through DNA testing and reforms the criminal justice system to prevent future injustice. www.innocenceproject.org
