At age 16, Jeff Deskovic's life turned upside down when he was wrongfully convicted for the rape and murder of a classmate. After 16 long years in prison, he was finally exonerated and released, cleared of all charges. Today, Jeff is the Founder of The Deskovic Foundation, committed to the prevention of wrongful convictions and the reintegration of exonerees. In this episode, we explore what happened to Jeff, why wrongful convictions are so common, and what we can do about it. We end with concrete action steps for those who want to help as well as some pragmatic advice for those currently serving time for wrongful convictions.
Wrongful convictions are painfully common. The US National Registry of Exonerations recognizes over 1,600 wrongful convictions since 1989, and a Wayne State University study estimates ~10,000 wrongful convictions per year. After release, exonerees face many of the same challenges as other returning citizens, including social stigma, lack of job readiness, and financial instability. Worse, they are often unable to take advantage of resources dedicated to reintegration assistance, and in many cases, they are not compensated for their wrongful conviction.
Want to help wrongfully convicted prisoners? Please donate to the Deskovic Foundation: deskovicfoundation.org/donate
Find interviewee contact info and links for all mentioned programs at thereturningcitizen.org
