University of Greenwich

Innocence Project London

The Innocence Project London (IPL) provides students with the opportunity to deconstruct cases of convicted individuals who have maintained their innocence but have exhausted the criminal appeals process. 

The aim of our work is to submit an application to the Criminal Cases Review Commission (CCRC) on behalf of our clients. The CCRC is an independent body which reviews possible miscarriages of justice in the United Kingdom and is able to refer a case back to the Court of Appeal if there is new evidence or a new legal argument not identified at the time of the trial, that might have changed the outcome of the case if the jury had been given a chance to consider it.

The IPL supports convicted individuals to make these applications pro bono, filling a gap in the criminal legal system where there is limited funding for lawyers to undertake this work.

Top 3 Learnings

1. Our students are invested in working collaboratively, engaging in providing access to justice to a sector of society that is often forgotten.
2. Our students develop reflective practice, alongside creative problem-solving that can change lives.
3. Our students develop a critical perspective of the criminal justice system and learn life skills that enable them to progress academically, whilst leaving them with a lifelong passion for using their education to give back to society.