The International Association of Chiefs of Police (IACP) gathered 75 subject matter experts to create a national strategy to prevent and reduce wrongful convictions.

The premise of the IACP summit, a unique event where the law enforcement community took the lead on a national symposium on the topic of wrongful convictions, was that any wrongful conviction is one too many. The damage done to the defendant, the crime victim, investigators, prosecutors, defense attorneys, the entire justice system, and the community is massive. From a uniquely law enforcement perspective, the damage done to the trust bond between the police and their communities is significant. And the damage goes even further as the true criminal remains free to commit new crimes and create new victims. Looking beyond extremely violent felonies—often a focus of research in this area—how many lives are ruined when a young person is sentenced for robberies or burglaries they did not commit?