18 April 2011
As part of Bristol Festival of Ideas, the Bristol Genius programme looks at the people and organisations working on breakthrough ideas in the city of Bristol - ones that have the potential to change how we think, live, work, eat, play; that provide new business opportunities; and that can transform the environment, justice and society. Dr Michael Naughton established the Innocence Network UK (INUK) in the School of Law, University of Bristol, in September 2004 to undertake casework, research and communications in the area of wrongful convictions. He talks about this work at a free event at the Arnolfini Gallery, Sat 21 May, 2pm.
As part of
Bristol Festival of Ideas, the Bristol Genius programme looks at the people and organisations working on breakthrough ideas in the city of Bristol - ones that have the potential to change how we think, live, work, eat, play; that provide new business opportunities; and that can transform the environment, justice and society. Dr Michael Naughton established the Innocence Network UK (INUK) in the School of Law, University of Bristol, in September 2004 to undertake casework, research and communications in the area of wrongful convictions.
The University of Bristol Innocence Project (UoBIP), the first innocence project in the UK, sees undergraduate and postgraduate law students investigating cases of long-term prisoners maintaining their innocence, under close academic supervision with the pro bono assistance of practicing lawyers, forensic scientists and other experts. Dr Naughton talks about this work and its success in helping to identify miscarriages of justice, at a free event at the Arnolfini Gallery, Sat 21 May, 2pm.
Please note that while the event is free, it is necessary to book a place by e-mailing ideas@gwebusinesswest.co.uk
Further information
The University of Bristol Innocence Project (UoBIP), the first innocence project in the UK, is an extra-curricular pro bono legal clinic which teaches law through working on real cases of alleged wrongful convictions. Established in January 2005 by Dr Michael Naughton, the UoBIP undertakes thorough and objective investigations into cases of prisoners maintaining innocence who have exhausted the normal appeals process and legal aid with the aim of ascertaining the validity of their claims of innocence. Intensely supervised by academic staff and assisted, where appropriate, by forensic scientists and criminal appeal lawyers, the UoBIP assists those who are found to be potentially innocent by making applications and submissions to the Criminal Cases Review Commission to support a referral of the case back to the Court of Appeal. The UoBIP is also the founding member of the Innocence Network UK (INUK) which has actively supported the establishment of 30 innocence projects based in universities across England, Scotland and Wales.
Dr Michael Naughton is a Senior Lecturer at the School of Law and School of Sociology, Politics and International Studies (SPAIS), University of Bristol. He has specialised in the area of wrongful convictions for over a decade and has written extensively on the subject. He is the Founder and Director of the University of Bristol Innocence Project (UoBIP), through which he directs student investigations into real cases of alleged wrongful convictions. He is also the Founder and Director of the Innocence Network UK (INUK) which he established in September 2004 to facilitate casework, research and communications in the area of wrongful convictions.
