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MBA Innocence and Conviction Integrity Initiatives

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Our criminal justice system is just and equitable in design, but not perfect in practice. While a perfect system of justice may not exist in our country, we must keep working on its deficiencies and failures, until the injustice of wrongful convictions are tragedies of the past. It’s our responsibility as lawyers and community leaders to focus on the greatest challenges in our system, and this is one of them. That’s why so many at the Massachusetts Bar Association have devoted the past six years in promoting conviction integrity and in helping to prevent and remedy wrongful convictions. 
 
This year the MBA is making it possible for you to help this worthy cause through our recently launched volunteer program to assist Massachusetts' three innocence organizations in their vital efforts at remedying wrongful convictions. You may learn the details about this special opportunity to volunteer by reading the MBA’s eJournal Announcement, along with watching a video of the January 30th webinar about volunteering, via the MBA’s on-demand program. If interested, please complete and submit the Volunteer Application Form, through the application link below. 

The incarcerated innocent need our help. Thank you for considering this opportunity! 

Damian Turco, 
President, Massachusetts Bar Association

Conviction Integrity Resources

Prosecutors have a special obligation to do all they can to remedy past injustices, and to analyze past errors to determine how they happened and how to ensure they do not happen again. The Massachusetts Bar Association-convened Massachusetts Conviction Integrity Working Group (MCIWG) created a guide in 2021 to provide "best practices" for conviction integrity programs.

Timeline of Progress

Since 2018, the Massachusetts Bar Association, through the Massachusetts Conviction Integrity Task Force (MCITF), under the leadership of its Co-Chairs, Middlesex District Attorney Marian Ryan; civil rights attorney Richard W. Cole, for the MBA; and Director of CPCS’ Innocence Program, Lisa Kavanaugh; and its predecessor, the Massachusetts Conviction Integrity Working Group (MCIWG), has brought a critical focus to preventing and remedying wrongful convictions in Massachusetts. As the work continues, look back at some highlights of the progress made along the way, including the groundbreaking 2021 publication, “Conviction Integrity Programs: A Guide to Best Practices for Prosecutorial Offices,” the December 2023 training for prosecutors on "Preventing Wrongful Convictions in the Pretrial and Trial Phase of Your Case," and the 2024 launch of the MBA Innocence Initiative, which seeks volunteers to assist the vital work of Massachusetts' three innocence organizations. 

View Timeline of Progress
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