What We Do

 
 

Investigate

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WE SCREEN TO FIND CASES WITH MERIT AND HIGH POTENTIAL IMPACT, AND THEN DIG DEEP TO FIND THE FRESH EVIDENCE THAT PROVES A CONVICTION IS UNSAFE OR A SENTENCE IS UNFAIR

Our investigation methodology is based on that deployed in high stakes death penalty cases in the US, and includes closely analysing the existing case materials using cutting edge software, demanding access to new documents, interviewing witnesses, visiting to key locations, and working with pro bono experts to find the evidence needed to overturn wrongful convictions and unfair sentences.

We value results over throughput, and so work on behalf of a small number of people to ensure the quality of our work.

Litigate

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WE BRING CASES TO THE CRIMINAL CASES REVIEW COMMISSION, THE ADMINISTRATIVE COURT AND THE COURT OF APPEAL.

Our lawyers represent the victims of miscarriages of justice arising from the courts of England and Wales. As a charity, we only represent people who cannot afford to pay for a lawyer. We also litigate for open justice and increased accountability in our justice system.

We are supported in this work by the best barristers in the country, largely working pro bono who appear for the prisoners we represent in court.

Advocate

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WE WORK WITH FORMER PRISONERS, CAMPAIGNERS, STUDENTS, LEGAL PROFESSIONALS, POLICY MAKERS AND OTHER STAKEHOLDERS TO ENSURE OUR JUSTICE SYSTEM LEARNS FROM ITS MISTAKES.

We partner with criminal justice stakeholders on campaigns to ensure the system learns from its mistakes, including promoting open and accountable justice, robust science, effective practice and a gender responsive approach. Only with these reforms can we be assured accurate convictions and smart sentencing.

We also work with law students in universities across England and Wales, ensuring that the next generation of criminal lawyers graduate with an acute awareness of the system’s frailties and their duty as lawyers to challenge it where it makes mistakes.


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Sustaining our work

Our cases can take years to resolve, so we must constantly find new sources of funding and better ways of working to remain sustainable as a charity and a law practice. 

Please note accounting rules mean that our annual income figures on the Charity Commission site includes the cash value of the pro bono hours donated to us by commercial law firms. Our annual operational budget is significantly lower.

If you are a grant-maker or donor and would like to discuss how we could use your support to leverage criminal justice reform as well as freedom for individual prisoners, please contact us.