Explore the Ohio Innocence Project and learn how it is changing lives.
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The Rosenthal Institute for Justice was established at the UC College of Law thanks to the generosity of Lois and Richard Rosenthal.The primary component of the Rosenthal Institute for Justice is the Ohio Innocence Project. Other components of the Institute include alegislative reform agenda and a speaker’s series.
The Ohio Innocence Project was founded in 2003.Harnessing the energy and intellect of law students as its driving force, the OIP seeks to identify inmates in Ohio prisons who are actually innocent of the crimes they were convicted of committing. Innocence is often determined by DNA testing, but can include other types of new evidence suchas new witnesses or evidence of police misconduct.Once an inmate's innocence has been established through investigation, the OIP sends the case back to court and litigates in the hope of obtaining the inmate's freedom. Innocence Projects across the country have freed more than 200 wrongfully convicted inmates to date.The Ohio Innocence Project has helped several individuals obtain their long-sought freedom.Some of the significant recent cases of the OIP are discussed here
In terms of legislative reform, the Rosenthal Institute for Justice has proposed several bills that were passed into law.These include "Trina's Law," which eases the way for crime victims to sue their attackers in Ohio, and an environmental anti-pollution bill in Cincinnati, among others. More recently the RIJ worked successfully for passage in Ohio of an improved post-conviction DNA testing bill, frequently called "Senate Bill 262." In February 2008, theRIJ proposed six new legislative reforms aimed at curbing wrongful convictions.
Through the generosity of the Seasongood Good Government Foundation, the RIJ also brings several speakers to campus each year to enlighten the law school community on issues relating to criminal justice and good government. Speakers in recent years include Richard Leo, Barry Scheck, David Cole, Erwin Chemerinsky and John Yoo, among others.
The mission of the RIJ is to harness the idealism, energy and intellect of law students, turning those qualities into a vehicle for positive social and legal change in Cincinnati, the state of Ohio, and beyond.
The Lois and Richard Rosenthal Institute for Justice ("RIJ") at the University of Cincinnati College of Law was founded in the aftermath of the racial strife and civil unrest that shook Cincinnati in April 2001. The RIJ seeks to harness the idealism, energy and intellect of law students and turn those qualities into a vehicle for positive social and legal change in Cincinnati, the state of Ohio, and beyond. The RIJ is an umbrella organization that currently has three important subcomponents: RIJ Research Projects and Reports, the Ohio Innocence Project, and the RIJ Speakers Series. In the future, the RIJ will seek to add additional subcomponents that are consistent with its overall mission.
The RIJ selects UC law students, known as RIJ Fellows, to engage in public policy research projects and issue formal RIJ Reports under the direction of UC law professors. RIJ Reports involve issues that in some way affect law and justice, such as racism or race relations, the criminal justice system, the environment, the media and economics. The goal is for each RIJ Report to make a substantive impact and difference in the community. Already, RIJ Reports have resulted in legislative bodies considering the RIJ's recommendation and making substantive changes to the law. In other instances, RIJ Reports have received widespread media attention and served to educate the public about an important matter that had previously escaped detection. A sample of previously released RIJ Reports can be obtained here. Descriptions of RIJ Research Projects in progress are available here. Media coverage and other descriptions of RIJ activities can be viewed here.
RIJ Fellows typically divide their time between researching and writing RIJ Reports, and working on real criminal cases in the Ohio Innocence Project ("OIP"). In the OIP, RIJ Fellows investigate the cases of Ohio inmates who have been convicted of serious crimes and who have steadfastly maintained their innocence. RIJ Fellows, in essence, operate as a small criminal defense and private investigation firm. RIJFellows screen correspondence from inmates and perform preliminary investigations into cases, which often involves reviewing trial records and evidence, to determine which cases merit further investigation. When a case is then accepted by the OIP for full work-up, RIJ Fellows assigned to that case perform such tasks as interviewing live witnesses, performing crime scene investigations, visiting and interviewing inmates in prison, and studying DNA and other advanced technologies. If RIJ Fellows are able to conclusively establish the innocence of an inmate under existing law, the OIP will work through litigation or non-adversarial channels to obtain the inmate's release.
To date, Innocence Projects across the country have freed more than 130 wrongfully convicted inmates from prison, many of whom were on death row in their respective states. The OIP offers an exciting and hands-on opportunity for law students to become involved in public interest work and the criminal justice system to a degree that is unmatched by any other law school program. The University of Cincinnati College of Law is the only law school in Ohio to offer an ongoing and fully operational Innocence Project. More information about the Ohio Innocence Project can be obtained here
Funded in part through generous grants from foundations such as the Seasongood Good Government Foundation and the Estabrook Foundation, the RIJ brings a number of important scholars with national reputations to the law school each year to speak and educate on issues affecting urban justice. The RIJ also brings many local politicians and civic leaders to speak to the RIJ Fellows and provide their perspectives on justice issues in Cincinnati.
