Blog

December 16, 2019 400pm Pacific
Joint Press Release
Restorative Justice International (RJI):
www.restorativejusticeinternational.com
Davis Vanguard:
https://www.davisvanguard.org
Restorative Justice International (RJI) and the Davis Vanguard will be partnering to launch The Wrongful Conviction Project (WCP). The project will shine a light on wrongful convictions while urging the application of restorative justice to seek systemic reform of our justice system(s). The project will produce joint podcasts on wrongful convictions, work on prosecutorial reform and support public policy changes needed to right the wrong of wrongful convictions.
“We are excited about launching The Wrongful Conviction Project with our partner the Davis Vanguard, an organization we have worked with on many criminal justice reform efforts. We know that there are far too many innocent men and women behind bars who must be exonerated,” said Lisa Rea, President, Restorative Justice International. “Restorative justice principles apply to wrongful convictions because all those in the justice system who help to convict and imprison innocent individuals should be held accountable.” Ms. Rea continued. “Those who are exonerated after serving time in our prisons are victims of crime.”
“We can talk all we want about criminal justice reform, decarceration and prosecutorial misconduct. But for me, restorative justice allows for a fundamental shift from a punishment based system that is fundamentally broken to a system that finds better ways to address and repair harm,” said David Greenwald, President, Davis Vanguard.
Restorative Justice International is an association and network advocating for victims driven restorative justice with over 6000 affiliates and members around the nation and globe. RJI works for systemic justice reform based on restorative justice principles to encourage offender accountability, healing of crime victims, as much as possible, and increasing community engagement in the justice system.
The Davis Vanguard is a community-based watchdog and news reporting organization that publishes daily coverage of local government and criminal justice reform. The Vanguard seeks to bring transparency, accountability and fairness to local government and the courts, while promoting social justice and democracy, and adhering to principles of accuracy and fairness in our reporting.
RJI and the Davis Vanguard have worked on issues related to wrongful convictions including supporting legislation to address wrongful convictions in California and nationally and telling the stories of exonerees including Jeffrey Deskovic of the Deskovic Foundation.
RJI’s Wrongful Conviction Project (WCP) will soon be raising funds to expand this effort. If you are interested in giving now do so through our website, or via our post office box, and request the funds be used for the WCP.