Healing Justice
A conviction may be classified as wrongful if there were substantive or procedural errors which violated the convicted individual’s rights, or if the convicted individual was factually innocent of the charges [1].
There have been 3,489 exonerations since 1989 (over 31,700 years lost) [2][3]. According to the Innocence Project, of the 258 DNA exonerations that staff there have handled, 25% have involved false confessions [4][5]. Eyewitness misidentification is another cause of false convictions [6]. Post-conviction DNA testing is a major factor in exoneration.
Healing Justice is a non-profit which strives to heal the wounds both to exonerees and crime victims, themselves, caused by wrongful convictions. The organization, also, advocates for criminal justice reform [7].
“who comforts us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort those who are in any trouble, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God” (2 Cor. 1: 4).
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[1] National Institute of Justice (NIJ), “Wrongful Convictions”, https://nij.ojp.gov/topics/justice-system-reform/wrongful-convictions.
[2] University of Michigan, National Registry of Exonerations, Glossary, “Exoneration”, https://www.law.umich.edu/special/exoneration/Pages/glossary.aspx.
[3] University of Michigan, National Registry of Exonerations, “News”, https://www.law.umich.edu/special/exoneration/Pages/about.aspx.
[4] Eisner Gorin LLP, “What Are False and Coerced Confessions?”, https://www.thefederalcriminalattorneys.com/false-and-coerced-confessions.
[5] False Confessions, “False Confessions Happen”, https://falseconfessions.org/false-confessions-happen/.
[6] Innocence Project, “Eyewitness Misidentification”, https://innocenceproject.org/eyewitness-misidentification/.
[7] Healing Justice, https://healingjusticeproject.org/.
God loves all of us — regardless of sexual orientation or perceived gender. Scripture does not, however, condone homosexual behavior.
Despite this, the United Methodist Church has voted to ordain LGBTQ+ clergy. Hundreds of American Catholic churches will again this year be holding so called “pride masses” to “celebrate queerness”, as Holy Trinity Church in Washington, DC puts it.
Please, pray for all those taking part in these events.
READERS CAN FIND MY VIEWS ON ABUSE AND ABUSE-RELATED ISSUES AT ANNA WALDHERR A Voice Reclaimed, Surviving Child Abuse
https://avoicereclaimed.com
A Lawyer's Prayers 
“25% have involved false confessions” — an astounding statistic. Praise God for this project and its work!
I wholeheartedly agree, Dora.
These are chilling statistics, to say the least. The 25% false confession number is astounding, and for the life of me I don’t know why anyone in this day would allow themselves to be questioned without an attorney being present. I’ve seen too many episodes of “Dateline” and similar shows to ever be questioned minus an attorney.
I agree that the right to legal counsel should be exercised freely.
False confessions which are volunteered can arise from a need for punishment unrelated to the crime in question, a desire for attention, or a total disconnect from reality. They can, also, arise from a desire to protect the real perpetrator.
False confessions which result from interrogation may arise from doubts the accused has about his own memory and, of course, intimidation by law enforcement. The Philadelphia Conviction Integrity Unit uncovered decades of coercion and corruption by police. Some false confessions that result from coercion may represent attempts by the accused to escape a stressful situation or gain a promised reward. Autistics are particularly susceptible to manipulation. See, https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/so-sue-me/202009/the-psychology-false-confessions.
How awful to be convicted of a crime you didn’t commit.
I can only imagine how distressing that must be. I know how painful it is just to be falsely accused of something.