GPS RESEARCH LIBRARY: Conviction Integrity in Georgia: Models, Data, and the Case for a Statewide Commission ============================================================ Georgia Prisoners' Speak — gps.press Generated: 2026-04-03 10:35:58 EDT Research Date: 2026-03-18 Topic: Legal/Post-Conviction Reform JSON: https://gps.press/research-data/conviction-integrity-in-georgia-models-data-and-the-case-for-a-statewide-commission/?format=json SUMMARY ---------------------------------------- This document compiles research supporting a proposed Georgia Conviction Integrity Commission (Bill 5 of the Georgia Post-Conviction Justice Act), analyzing national models including North Carolina's independent Innocence Inquiry Commission and Texas's district attorney-based Conviction Integrity Units. It reveals Georgia has no statewide conviction integrity mechanism, with only 3 of 159 counties having any formal review capacity, while 51 known exonerations (610 years lost) dramatically undercount the true scope of wrongful convictions. The projected cost of a Georgia-scaled commission ($2.0–$2.5 million annually) would represent only 0.14% of GDC's $1.779 billion budget, with break-even analysis showing the commission would pay for itself by identifying as few as 24 wrongful convictions per year. FINDINGS (6) ---------------------------------------- - [confirmed] NCIIC is the only independent state-level innocence commission in the U.S. The North Carolina Innocence Inquiry Commission (NCIIC) is the only independent state-level innocence commission in the United States, making it the primary model for any state considering similar legislation. Date: 2025-01-01 Tags: legal,policy Sources: NC General Statutes Article 92 - [confirmed] Virginia study suggests previous 1-5% wrongful conviction estimates undercount true prevalence The Virginia study concluded that previous estimates of 1-5% wrongful conviction rates were shown to potentially undercount the true prevalence. The study's wrongful conviction rate was 'not significantly different from other states,' suggesting findings could be cautiously generalized. Date: 2012-01-01 Tags: legal Sources: Urban Institute: Post-Conviction DNA Testing and Wrongful Conviction - [reported] Georgia conviction integrity coverage (1.9%) worse than Texas (2.4%) Georgia covers roughly 3 of 159 counties (1.9%) with conviction integrity mechanisms, compared to Texas's 6 of 254 counties (2.4%) — making Georgia's coverage even worse than the already inadequate Texas model. Date: 2025-01-01 Tags: legal,policy Sources: GPS Analysis: Conviction Integrity in Georgia - [estimated] 51 known exonerations dramatically undercount the true scope The document concludes that Georgia's 51 known exonerations represent a dramatic undercount of the true scope of wrongful convictions, based on comparison with empirical wrongful conviction rate studies suggesting 4-11.6% of convictions may be wrongful. Date: 2025-01-01 Tags: legal,data_gap Sources: GPS Analysis: Conviction Integrity in Georgia - [confirmed] CIUs have inherent conflicts — prosecutors reviewing own convictions A key structural difference between DA-based CIUs and the NC independent commission model is that CIUs are prosecutorial — housed within the DA/AG office that obtained the conviction — and may have inherent conflicts from prosecutors reviewing their own convictions. CIUs also lack subpoena power independent of the DA's office. Date: 2025-01-01 Tags: legal,policy Sources: Fair and Just Prosecution CIU Brief - [confirmed] BJA provides federal grants for conviction integrity work The Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA) provides federal grants for conviction integrity work. Dallas County CIU received BJA grant #15PBJA-22-GG-01417. Federal funding can supplement state appropriations. Date: 2025-01-01 Tags: budget,legal,policy Sources: Dallas County CIU Website LEGAL FACTS (6) ---------------------------------------- - [confirmed] NCIIC commission structure: 8 members The NCIIC consists of eight members: five appointed by the Chief Justice of the NC Supreme Court (one Superior Court Judge as Chair, one prosecutor, one defense attorney, one victim advocate, one public member) and three appointed by the Chief Judge of the Court of Appeals (one sheriff holding office at time of appointment, two additional members of any vocation). Members serve terms ranging from one to three years. Date: 2025-01-01 Tags: legal,policy Sources: NC General Statutes Article 92 - [confirmed] Tim Cole Act compensation: $80,000 per year of wrongful imprisonment The Tim Cole Act (2009) provides $80,000 per year of wrongful imprisonment (lump sum), a monthly annuity for ongoing financial security, additional $25,000 per year for time wrongfully required to register as a sex offender, posthumous claims for families, expanded reentry services, state health benefits, and tuition waiver at state universities. Date: 2009-01-01 Tags: legal,policy,reentry Sources: Tim Cole Act (Austin Chronicle) - [confirmed] Georgia Wrongful Conviction Compensation Act signed May 14, 2025 Georgia's Wrongful Conviction and Incarceration Compensation Act (SB 244) was signed into law May 14, 2025 by Governor Kemp. Codified as O.C.G.A. 17-22-1 through 17-22-12, it provides $75,000 per year of wrongful incarceration, an additional $25,000 per year for death row, oversight by OSAH, a filing deadline within 3 years of exoneration or within 3 years of July 1, 2025, and requires claimants to affirmatively prove innocence. Date: 2025-05-14 Tags: legal,policy Sources: O.C.G.A. 17-22-1 Text; SB 244 Signed - [confirmed] SB 244 death row compensation premium: $25,000 per year Georgia's Wrongful Conviction and Incarceration Compensation Act (SB 244) provides an additional $25,000 per year for time spent on death row beyond the base $75,000 per year rate. Date: 2025-01-01 Tags: legal,policy Sources: O.C.G.A. 17-22-1 Text - [confirmed] Michael Morton Act (2013): Texas open-file discovery law The Michael Morton Act (2013) requires Texas prosecutors to disclose all evidence to the defense through open-file discovery requirements. Date: 2013-01-01 Tags: legal,policy Sources: Tim Cole Act (Austin Chronicle) - [reported] Sanders v. State (2026) cited as judicial backing for reform Sanders v. State (2026) is cited as providing judicial backing for conviction integrity reform in Georgia. Date: 2026-01-01 Tags: legal Sources: GPS Analysis: Conviction Integrity in Georgia STATISTICS (38) ---------------------------------------- - [reported] NCIIC annual budget approximately $1.6 million The North Carolina Innocence Inquiry Commission has an annual budget of approximately $1.6 million as of 2025, with a staff of 13 full-time employees. Value: 1.6 million dollars Date: 2025-01-01 Tags: budget,policy Sources: NCIIC Official Website - [reported] NCIIC staff of 13 full-time employees The NCIIC employs 13 full-time staff: Executive Director (1), Assistant Director (1), Associate Counsel (1), Staff Attorneys (4), Grant Staff Attorneys (2), Victim Services Program Manager (1), Paralegals (2), Executive Assistant (1). Value: 13.0 full-time employees Date: 2025-01-01 Tags: staffing,policy Sources: NCIIC Official Website - [reported] NCIIC has reviewed over 3,500 claims since 2006 Since its creation in 2006, the NCIIC has reviewed over 3,500 claims of factual innocence. Value: 3500.0 claims reviewed Tags: legal,policy Sources: NCIIC Official Website - [reported] NCIIC has resulted in 16 innocence declarations Since its creation in 2006, the NCIIC has resulted in 16 people being declared innocent and released. The most recent exoneration was Clarence Roberts, freed from a murder conviction in Robeson County. Value: 16.0 people declared innocent Tags: legal Sources: NCIIC Official Website - [estimated] NCIIC cost per exoneration approximately $1.9 million The NCIIC's cost per exoneration is approximately $1.9 million ($1.6M/year x 19 years = $30.4 million total, divided by 16 exonerations). However, this understates value because the commission also screened 3,500+ claims and each wrongful incarceration costs taxpayers $31,000+/year. Value: 1.9 million dollars per exoneration Tags: budget,legal Sources: NCIIC Official Website - [estimated] Estimated incarceration costs avoided by NCIIC exonerations Average wrongful imprisonment before exoneration is 10-25 years. Cost avoided per exoneree is $310,000-$775,000 in incarceration costs alone. Total incarceration costs avoided across 16 NCIIC exonerees is estimated at $5M-$12M+. Tags: budget,legal Sources: NCIIC Official Website - [confirmed] Texas has at least 6 active Conviction Integrity Units As of 2023-2025, Texas has at least six active Conviction Integrity Units: Dallas County (first CIU in the nation, established 2007), Harris County (Houston), Tarrant County (Fort Worth), Bexar County (San Antonio), Travis County (Austin), and Collin County. Value: 6.0 active CIUs Tags: legal,policy Sources: National Registry of Exonerations: Conviction Integrity Units page - [confirmed] Texas CIU coverage: only 6 of 254 counties (2.4%) Despite being the national leader in CIU activity, only 6 of Texas's 254 counties (2.4%) have Conviction Integrity Units. Texas does not have a state-level mandate requiring DA offices to establish CIUs; creation is voluntary. Value: 2.4 percent of counties Date: 2025-01-01 Tags: legal,policy Sources: National Registry of Exonerations: Conviction Integrity Units page - [reported] Texas has paid $156.7 million in wrongful conviction compensation since 2009 Since 2009, Texas has paid $156,678,037 in compensation to wrongfully convicted individuals as of July 2025. Value: 156678037.0 dollars Tags: legal,budget Sources: Texas Wrongful Conviction Payments (Zealous Advocate) - [confirmed] Virginia wrongful conviction rate: 8-15% for sexual assault cases The Urban Institute study examined 634 sexual assault and homicide cases from Virginia between 1973 and 1987. DNA testing eliminated between 8% and 15% of convicted offenders in sexual assault cases, with a central estimate of 11.6% — meaning roughly 1 in 9 people convicted of sexual assault were likely wrongfully convicted. Value: 11.6 percent wrongful conviction rate (central estimate) Tags: legal Sources: Urban Institute: Post-Conviction DNA Testing and Wrongful Conviction - [confirmed] Georgia Innocence Project: 16 exonerations since 2002 The Georgia Innocence Project has helped free or exonerate 16 innocent individuals since its founding in 2002. Value: 16.0 exonerations Tags: legal Sources: Georgia Innocence Project Website - [confirmed] Georgia exonerees collectively lost 372 years to wrongful imprisonment The 16 Georgia Innocence Project exonerees collectively lost 372 years to wrongful imprisonment. Average years lost per exoneree: 23.25 years. Value: 372.0 years lost Tags: legal Sources: Georgia Innocence Project Website - [reported] Georgia Innocence Project receives over 7,000 requests for assistance The Georgia Innocence Project states it has received over 7,000 requests for assistance, reviews hundreds of new requests annually, and provides representation in dozens of active cases. Value: 7000.0 requests for assistance Tags: legal Sources: Georgia Innocence Project Website - [confirmed] Georgia has 51 known exonerations since 1989 Georgia has had 51 known exonerations since 1989, according to data from the National Registry of Exonerations and the Georgia Innocence Project. These 51 exonerees collectively lost 610 years to wrongful imprisonment. Value: 51.0 exonerations Tags: legal Sources: National Registry of Exonerations; Georgia Innocence Project Website - [confirmed] 610 years lost by 51 Georgia exonerees The 51 known Georgia exonerees collectively lost 610 years to wrongful imprisonment. Value: 610.0 years lost Tags: legal Sources: National Registry of Exonerations; Georgia Innocence Project Website - [confirmed] 3,698 total U.S. exonerations since 1989 As of June 2025, the National Registry of Exonerations lists 3,698 total exonerations nationwide since 1989. Value: 3698.0 exonerations nationwide Date: 2025-06-01 Tags: legal Sources: National Registry of Exonerations - [reported] Georgia exonerees: 87% male, 50% Black Demographics of Georgia exonerees: 87% male, 50% Black (compared to 32% of Georgia's general population — a 1.56x overrepresentation). They were disproportionately convicted of violent offenses (murder, sexual assault). Value: 50.0 percent Black (vs. 32 percent of Georgia general population that is Black) Tags: legal,demographics Sources: National Registry of Exonerations - [reported] Average time wrongfully imprisoned in Georgia: over 12 years The average time wrongfully imprisoned among Georgia exonerees is over 12 years per case. Value: 12.0 years average wrongful imprisonment Tags: legal Sources: National Registry of Exonerations - [confirmed] Official misconduct involved in 71% of fully overturned convictions (2024) In the 2024 reporting year, official misconduct was involved in 71% of fully overturned convictions. Concealing exculpatory evidence occurred in 44% of cases — the most common form. Other forms include witness tampering, perjury by officials, knowingly using false testimony, coercive interrogations, and prosecutorial dishonesty in court. Value: 71.0 percent of overturned convictions Date: 2024-01-01 Tags: legal,corruption Sources: National Registry of Exonerations 2024 Annual Report - [confirmed] Concealing exculpatory evidence: most common form of official misconduct at 44% Concealing exculpatory evidence occurred in 44% of cases involving official misconduct, making it the most common form of misconduct leading to wrongful convictions. Value: 44.0 percent of misconduct cases Date: 2024-01-01 Tags: legal,corruption Sources: National Registry of Exonerations 2024 Annual Report - [reported] Mistaken witness ID in 67% of Georgia sexual assault wrongful convictions Mistaken witness identification contributed to 67% of adult sexual assault wrongful convictions in Georgia. Cross-racial misidentification (Black men identified by white victims) accounts for 50% of these misidentification cases. Value: 67.0 percent of sexual assault wrongful convictions Date: 2025-01-01 Tags: legal,demographics Sources: Georgia Innocence Project Wrongful Conviction Factors - [reported] Cross-racial misidentification in 50% of eyewitness ID wrongful convictions Cross-racial misidentification (Black men identified by white victims) accounts for 50% of mistaken eyewitness identification cases leading to wrongful sexual assault convictions in Georgia. Value: 50.0 percent of misidentification cases Date: 2025-01-01 Tags: legal,demographics Sources: Georgia Innocence Project Wrongful Conviction Factors - [confirmed] National average years lost per exoneree in 2024: 13.5 years The national average years lost per exoneree in 2024 was 13.5 years. Total years lost in 2024 alone exceeded 1,980 years nationwide. Value: 13.5 years average lost per exoneree Date: 2024-01-01 Tags: legal Sources: National Registry of Exonerations 2024 Annual Report - [confirmed] Over 1,980 years lost nationwide to wrongful imprisonment in 2024 alone Total years lost in 2024 alone exceeded 1,980 years nationwide due to wrongful convictions. Value: 1980.0 years lost nationwide in 2024 Date: 2024-01-01 Tags: legal Sources: National Registry of Exonerations 2024 Annual Report - [reported] Only 3 of 159 Georgia counties have any conviction review mechanism Only 3 of Georgia's 159 counties have any formal mechanism to review potentially wrongful convictions: Fulton County (Atlanta) has a CIU under the DA's office, DeKalb County has limited review capacity, and Chatham County (Savannah) has limited review capacity. The remaining 156 counties have no mechanism whatsoever. Value: 3.0 counties with review mechanisms out of 159 (vs. 159 total Georgia counties) Date: 2025-01-01 Tags: legal,policy Sources: GPS Analysis: Conviction Integrity in Georgia - [estimated] NC-equivalent commission for Georgia: estimated $2.0 million annually An NC-equivalent conviction integrity commission for Georgia would cost approximately $2.0 million annually: $1.2M staff salaries (13 FTE), $360K benefits, $150K office space, $100K forensic testing, $75K travel, $50K technology, $65K miscellaneous. Value: 2.0 million dollars annually Date: 2025-01-01 Tags: budget,policy Sources: GPS Analysis: Conviction Integrity in Georgia - [estimated] Georgia-scaled commission: estimated $2.55 million annually for 16-18 FTE A Georgia-scaled commission (accounting for Georgia's approximately 50,000 inmates vs. NC's approximately 30,000 — roughly 1.67x the prison population) would cost approximately $2.55 million annually: $1.5M staff salaries (16-18 FTE), $450K benefits, $200K office, $150K forensic testing, $100K travel, $75K technology, $75K miscellaneous. Value: 2.55 million dollars annually Date: 2025-01-01 Tags: budget,policy Sources: GPS Analysis: Conviction Integrity in Georgia - [confirmed] Georgia GDC FY 2027 budget: $1.779 billion Georgia GDC FY 2027 budget is $1,778,839,635. A conviction integrity commission costing $2.0-$2.5 million would represent 0.11-0.14% of the corrections budget — less than the cost of incarcerating 80 inmates per year. Value: 1778839635.0 dollars Tags: budget Sources: Governor's Budget Report FY 2027 (Georgia) - [estimated] Commission cost as percentage of GDC budget: 0.11-0.14% A Georgia conviction integrity commission costing $2.0-$2.5 million annually would represent only 0.11-0.14% of GDC's $1.779 billion FY 2027 budget. Value: 0.14 percent of GDC budget (maximum) Date: 2025-01-01 Tags: budget,policy Sources: GPS Analysis: Conviction Integrity in Georgia; Governor's Budget Report FY 2027 (Georgia) - [estimated] Break-even: commission needs to identify only 79 wrongful convictions on incarceration costs A $2.5 million/year commission would need to identify only 79 wrongful convictions to break even on incarceration costs alone ($31,613 x 79 = $2.5 million). Value: 79.0 wrongful convictions to break even Date: 2025-01-01 Tags: budget,policy Sources: GDC FY 2024 Cost Per Day Consolidated Summary; GPS Analysis: Conviction Integrity in Georgia - [estimated] Break-even with SB 244: only 24 wrongful convictions per year Including SB 244 compensation liability ($75,000/year), identifying just 24 wrongful convictions per year would save enough ($106,613 x 24 = $2.56 million) to fund the entire commission. Value: 24.0 wrongful convictions to break even (with compensation) Date: 2025-01-01 Tags: budget,policy Sources: GPS Analysis: Conviction Integrity in Georgia - [estimated] Conservative estimate: 1,880 wrongfully convicted among Georgia's ~47,000 inmates (4%) Applying a conservative 4% wrongful conviction rate to Georgia's approximately 47,000 convicted inmates yields an estimated 1,880 wrongfully convicted individuals, costing $59.4 million annually in incarceration and $200.4 million including compensation liability. Value: 1880.0 estimated wrongfully convicted (conservative) Date: 2025-01-01 Tags: legal,budget Sources: Urban Institute: Post-Conviction DNA Testing and Wrongful Conviction; GPS Analysis: Conviction Integrity in Georgia - [estimated] Virginia-rate estimate: 5,450 wrongfully convicted among Georgia's inmates (11.6%) Applying the Virginia study's 11.6% wrongful conviction rate to Georgia's approximately 47,000 inmates yields an estimated 5,450 wrongfully convicted individuals, costing $172.3 million annually in incarceration and $581.0 million including compensation liability. Value: 5450.0 estimated wrongfully convicted (Virginia rate) Date: 2025-01-01 Tags: legal,budget Sources: Urban Institute: Post-Conviction DNA Testing and Wrongful Conviction; GPS Analysis: Conviction Integrity in Georgia - [confirmed] Perjury/False Accusation contributes to 51-61% of wrongful convictions Perjury or false accusation is a contributing factor in 51-61% of exonerations nationally, making it one of the most common causes of wrongful conviction. Date: 2024-01-01 Tags: legal Sources: National Registry of Exonerations 2024 Annual Report - [confirmed] Mistaken eyewitness identification contributes to 43-56% of wrongful convictions Mistaken eyewitness identification is a contributing factor in 43-56% of exonerations nationally. Date: 2024-01-01 Tags: legal Sources: National Registry of Exonerations 2024 Annual Report - [confirmed] False/misleading forensic evidence contributes to 24% of wrongful convictions False or misleading forensic evidence is a contributing factor in 24% of exonerations nationally. Value: 24.0 percent of exonerations Date: 2024-01-01 Tags: legal Sources: National Registry of Exonerations 2024 Annual Report - [confirmed] False confession contributes to 16% of wrongful convictions False confession is a contributing factor in 16% of exonerations nationally. Value: 16.0 percent of exonerations Date: 2024-01-01 Tags: legal Sources: National Registry of Exonerations 2024 Annual Report - [estimated] Georgia has approximately 47,000-50,000 inmates Georgia has approximately 47,000-50,000 inmates, compared to North Carolina's approximately 30,000 — roughly 1.67x the prison population. Value: 47000.0 inmates (approximate) (vs. 30000 North Carolina inmates (approximate)) Date: 2025-01-01 Tags: demographics Sources: GPS Analysis: Conviction Integrity in Georgia CASE DETAILS (4) ---------------------------------------- - [reported] NC Senate proposed eliminating NCIIC funding in 2025 In April 2025, the NC Senate proposed eliminating the NCIIC's funding entirely in the state's $32.6 billion budget. The Commission's director pleaded with the House to restore funding. This occurred shortly after the Commission helped free an innocent man. Date: 2025-04-01 Tags: budget,policy,legal Sources: WUNC Q&A on Budget Cuts; WRAL on Senate Funding Cuts - [confirmed] Dallas County established first CIU in the nation in 2007 Dallas County established the first Conviction Integrity Unit in the nation in 2007 under then-DA Craig Watkins. It has produced the most exonerations of any CIU nationally. Date: 2007-01-01 Tags: legal,policy Sources: Dallas County CIU Website - [confirmed] Timothy Cole: first posthumous exoneration in Texas history Timothy Cole was a Texas Tech University student wrongfully convicted of rape in 1986 who died in prison in 1999 at age 39. He was posthumously exonerated by DNA evidence in 2009 — the first posthumous exoneration in Texas history. Date: 2009-01-01 Tags: legal,death Sources: Tim Cole Act (Austin Chronicle) - [confirmed] Sandeep 'Sonny' Bharadia: most recent Georgia exoneration Sandeep 'Sonny' Bharadia was released November 2024 and fully exonerated May 2025 after nearly 23 years of wrongful incarceration for sexual assault and burglary. DNA evidence contributed to his exoneration. He is the most recent of the Georgia Innocence Project's 16 exonerations. Date: 2025-05-01 Tags: legal Sources: Georgia Innocence Project Website METHODOLOGY NOTES (2) ---------------------------------------- - [confirmed] Virginia study methodology: 634 cases from 56 circuit courts The Urban Institute study examined 634 sexual assault and homicide cases from 56 Virginia circuit courts between 1973 and 1987 (pre-DNA testing era). Researchers obtained and performed new DNA testing on preserved physical evidence and compared results to original conviction records. Date: 2012-01-01 Tags: legal Sources: Urban Institute: Post-Conviction DNA Testing and Wrongful Conviction - [confirmed] Virginia study limitation: only sexual assault cases with biological evidence The Virginia wrongful conviction study examined only sexual assault cases with biological evidence. The wrongful conviction rate for other crime types may differ. Date: 2012-01-01 Tags: legal Sources: Urban Institute: Post-Conviction DNA Testing and Wrongful Conviction TRENDS (1) ---------------------------------------- - [confirmed] 9 of 16 Georgia Innocence Project exonerations occurred since 2020 Nine of the Georgia Innocence Project's 16 exonerations have occurred since 2020, indicating an acceleration in the organization's work and suggesting many more wrongful convictions remain undiscovered. Tags: legal Sources: Georgia Innocence Project Website DATA GAPS (1) ---------------------------------------- - [confirmed] Georgia has zero statewide conviction integrity mechanisms Georgia has zero statewide conviction integrity mechanisms. There is no state body with subpoena power for conviction review, authority to order DNA testing, staff dedicated to investigating claims of innocence, or a formal process for referring cases to judicial review. Date: 2025-01-01 Tags: legal,policy Sources: GPS Analysis: Conviction Integrity in Georgia POLICYS (2) ---------------------------------------- - [reported] Georgia proposed as first state to mandate CIUs The document proposes that Georgia could be the first state to mandate Conviction Integrity Units in district attorney offices above a certain population threshold (e.g., 250,000). Texas's experience shows that voluntary adoption leaves most counties uncovered. Date: 2025-01-01 Tags: legal,policy Sources: GPS Analysis: Conviction Integrity in Georgia - [reported] Recommended Georgia commission: hybrid model with 8-member bipartisan commission The document recommends Georgia adopt a hybrid model combining an NC-style independent commission (8 members appointed by Chief Justice and Governor, including a Superior Court Judge chair, prosecutor, defense attorney, victim advocate, law enforcement rep, GIP rep, public member, and formerly incarcerated person) with a mandate for local CIUs and an exoneration review function modeled on Texas. Date: 2025-01-01 Tags: legal,policy Sources: GPS Analysis: Conviction Integrity in Georgia DATASETS (5) ---------------------------------------- # Contributing Factors to Wrongful Convictions (National Data) Percentage of exonerations in which each contributing factor was present, based on National Registry of Exonerations data applied to Georgia context Contributing Factor Percentage of Exonerations ------------------------------------------------------------------- Perjury / False Accusation 51-61% Official Misconduct 54-71% Mistaken Eyewitness Identification 43-56% False or Misleading Forensic Evidence 24% False Confession 16% # NC-Equivalent Commission Budget Estimate for Georgia Projected annual budget for a Georgia conviction integrity commission modeled on North Carolina's NCIIC (13 FTE) Cost Category Annual Estimate --------------------------------------------- Staff salaries (13 FTE) 1200000 Benefits (30% of salary) 360000 Office space/overhead 150000 Forensic testing 100000 Travel/investigation 75000 Technology/legal databases 50000 Miscellaneous 65000 Total 2000000 # Georgia-Scaled Commission Budget Estimate Projected annual budget for a Georgia conviction integrity commission scaled to Georgia's larger prison population (16-18 FTE) Cost Category Annual Estimate --------------------------------------------- Staff salaries (16-18 FTE) 1500000 Benefits 450000 Office/overhead 200000 Forensic testing 150000 Travel/investigation 100000 Technology 75000 Miscellaneous 75000 Total 2550000 # Wrongful Incarceration Cost Projections for Georgia Estimated number of wrongfully convicted inmates and associated costs at different wrongful conviction rates, applied to Georgia's ~47,000 inmates Scenario Rate Wrongfully Convicted Annual Incarceration Cost Annual Total Including Compensation ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Conservative 4 1880 59.4 200.4 Moderate 8 3760 118.9 400.9 Virginia study 11.6 5450 172.3 581 # State CIU Models Comparison Comparison of conviction integrity unit models across U.S. states and jurisdictions State/Jurisdiction Model -------------------------------------------------------------------- Texas DA-based CIUs (Dallas County pioneered) Pennsylvania Statewide CIS within Attorney General's office New York DA-based CIUs in major counties Illinois AG-based Conviction Integrity Unit Michigan AG-based unit California DA-based units in major counties Connecticut Statewide unit KEY ENTITIES (23) ---------------------------------------- - Bill 5 (Conviction Integrity) [legislation]: Proposed legislation as part of the Georgia Post-Conviction Justice Act to establish a statewide conviction integrity commission and mandate local CIUs. (aka: Georgia Post-Conviction Justice Act Bill 5) - Bureau of Justice Assistance [organization]: Federal agency within DOJ that assumed responsibility for DCRA data collection from BJS around 2019, after which data quality and transparency deteriorated significantly. (aka: BJA) - Chatham County [facility]: Fifth most populous county in Georgia but accounts for 20% of all Georgia exonerations, indicating disproportionate wrongful conviction issues. (aka: Savannah) - Clarence Roberts [person]: Most recent person declared innocent by the North Carolina Innocence Inquiry Commission, freed from a murder conviction in Robeson County. - Craig Watkins [person]: Former Dallas County District Attorney who established the first Conviction Integrity Unit in the nation in 2007. - Dallas County CIU [organization]: The first Conviction Integrity Unit in the nation, established in 2007 by then-DA Craig Watkins. Has produced the most exonerations of any CIU nationally. Received BJA grant #15PBJA-22-GG-01417. (aka: Dallas County Conviction Integrity Unit) - DeKalb County [facility]: Georgia county with limited conviction review capacity — one of only 3 counties in Georgia with any formal mechanism to review potentially wrongful convictions. - Fulton County CIU [program]: Georgia's first Conviction Integrity Unit, established in 2019 by DA Paul Howard Jr. in Fulton County (Atlanta). Directed by Aimee Maxwell. (aka: Fulton County Conviction Integrity Unit) - Georgia Department of Corrections [organization]: State agency responsible for operating Georgia's prison system. Subject of federal DOJ investigation in 2022-2023 for constitutional violations including food-related deaths. (aka: GDC) - Georgia Innocence Project [organization]: Founded in 2002, the first and only innocence organization in Georgia. Has helped free or exonerate 16 individuals who collectively lost 372 years to wrongful imprisonment. Received over 7,900 requests for assistance. (aka: GIP) - Georgia Wrongful Conviction and Incarceration Compensation Act [legislation]: Georgia law signed May 14, 2025 by Governor Kemp providing $75,000 per year of wrongful incarceration and additional $25,000 per year for death row time. Oversight by OSAH. (aka: SB 244, O.C.G.A. 17-22-1 through 17-22-12) - Innocence Texas [organization]: Texas nonprofit providing legal representation for wrongfully convicted individuals, formerly known as Innocence Project of Texas. (aka: Innocence Project of Texas) - Michael Morton Act [legislation]: Texas legislation enacted in 2013 requiring open-file discovery — prosecutors must disclose all evidence to the defense. - National Registry of Exonerations [organization]: National database documenting exonerations in the United States since 1989. Has documented over 3,646 exonerations as of 2024. (aka: NRE) - North Carolina Innocence Inquiry Commission [organization]: State-level innocence commission in North Carolina with authority to investigate claims of innocence across the entire state. Cited as a model for statewide implementation. - OSAH [organization]: Georgia state agency that administers wrongful conviction compensation claims under SB 244. (aka: Georgia Office of State Administrative Hearings, Office of State Administrative Hearings) - Sandeep Bharadia [person]: Most recent Georgia Innocence Project exoneree, released November 2024 and fully exonerated May 2025 after nearly 23 years of wrongful incarceration for sexual assault and burglary. DNA evidence contributed to his exoneration. (aka: Sonny Bharadia, Sandeep 'Sonny' Bharadia) - Sanders v. State [case]: Georgia Supreme Court case decided March 3, 2026, in which Chief Justice Peterson's concurrence (joined by 7 of 9 justices) declared Georgia's post-conviction system 'a mess' requiring legislative reform. (aka: S26A0222) - Texas Forensic Science Commission [organization]: Texas state body that reviews forensic science complaints as part of the state's wrongful conviction prevention infrastructure. - Tim Cole Act [legislation]: Texas law enacted in 2009 providing $80,000 per year of wrongful imprisonment plus additional benefits. Named after Timothy Cole, a Texas Tech student wrongfully convicted of rape in 1986 who died in prison in 1999. Texas has paid $156.7M in compensation since 2009. - Timothy Cole [person]: Texas Tech University student wrongfully convicted of rape in 1986 who died in prison in 1999 at age 39. Posthumously exonerated by DNA evidence in 2009 — the first posthumous exoneration in Texas history. The Tim Cole Act was named in his honor. (aka: Tim Cole) - Timothy Cole Exoneration Review Commission [organization]: Texas commission established by the Tim Cole Act to study causes of wrongful convictions, recommend systemic reforms, review exoneration cases for patterns, and report findings to the legislature. (aka: Timothy Cole Advisory Panel on Wrongful Convictions) - Urban Institute [organization]: Research organization that evaluated the VOI/TIS grant program (Sabol et al. 2002) and published 'Stemming the Tide' (2013) on federal prison system costs. SOURCES (30) ---------------------------------------- - 11Alive investigation - wrongful conviction compensation, 11Alive (2025-01-01) [journalism, secondary] URL: https://www.11alive.com/article/news/investigations/11alive-news-investigates/georgia-may-have-to-pay-out-wrongful-conviction-compensation-act/85-c8933574-1eb9-4969-a021-e203f13acc0f - Dallas County CIU Website, Dallas County District Attorney [official_report, primary] URL: https://www.dallascounty.org/government/district-attorney/divisions/conviction-integrity.php - Death Penalty Info Center on NRE Annual Report, Death Penalty Information Center (2024-01-01) [journalism, secondary] URL: https://deathpenaltyinfo.org/national-registry-of-exonerations-annual-report-finds-majority-of-exonerees-are-people-of-color-and-official-misconduct-is-the-main-cause-of-wrongful-convictions - Estimating the Prevalence of Wrongful Convictions (Urban Institute / NIJ Grant No. 251115), Urban Institute / U.S. Department of Justice, Office of Justice Programs, National Institute of Justice [official_report, primary] URL: https://www.ojp.gov/pdffiles1/nij/grants/251115.pdf - Fair and Just Prosecution CIU Brief, Fair and Just Prosecution (2017-09-01) [official_report, secondary] URL: https://fairandjustprosecution.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/09/FJPBrief.ConvictionIntegrity.9.25.pdf - GDC FY 2024 Cost Per Day Consolidated Summary, Georgia Department of Corrections (2024-01-01) [official_report, primary] - Georgia Innocence Project Website, Georgia Innocence Project [official_report, primary] URL: https://www.georgiainnocenceproject.org/ - Georgia Innocence Project Wrongful Conviction Factors, Georgia Innocence Project [official_report, primary] URL: https://www.georgiainnocenceproject.org/general/wrongful-conviction-factors/ - Governor's Budget Report FY 2027 (Georgia), Office of the Governor of Georgia (2025-01-01) [official_report, primary] - GPS Analysis: Conviction Integrity in Georgia, Georgia Prisoners' Speak (2025-01-01) [gps_original, secondary] - ICPSR Dataset 36836, ICPSR by Kelly Walsh et al. [data_portal, primary] URL: https://www.icpsr.umich.edu/web/NACJD/studies/36836/versions/V1 - Innocence Project on Virginia Study, Innocence Project [official_report, secondary] URL: https://innocenceproject.org/news/potential-wrongful-convictions-revealed-in-virginia-study/ - Journal of Quantitative Criminology (cited by Georgia Innocence Project via GAgives), Journal of Quantitative Criminology [academic, primary] URL: https://www.gagives.org/organization/Georgia-Innocence-Project - NAACP on CIUs, NAACP [official_report, secondary] URL: https://naacp.org/resources/establishment-conviction-integrity-units-cius-innocence-commissions - National Registry of Exonerations, National Registry of Exonerations [data_portal, primary] URL: https://exonerationregistry.org/cases - National Registry of Exonerations 2024 Annual Report, National Registry of Exonerations (2024-01-01) [official_report, primary] URL: https://exonerationregistry.org/sites/exonerationregistry.org/files/documents/2024_Annual_Report.pdf - National Registry of Exonerations: Conviction Integrity Units page, National Registry of Exonerations [data_portal, primary] URL: https://exonerationregistry.org/conviction-integrity-units - NC General Statutes Article 92, North Carolina General Assembly [legislation, primary] URL: https://www.ncleg.gov/EnactedLegislation/Statutes/HTML/ByArticle/Chapter_15A/Article_92.html - NC PRO Manual, UNC School of Government [official_report, secondary] URL: https://ncpro.sog.unc.edu/manual/413-1 - NCIIC Official Website, North Carolina Innocence Inquiry Commission [official_report, primary] URL: https://innocencecommission-nc.gov/ - NIJ Grant Record 2013-IJ-CX-0004, National Institute of Justice [official_report, primary] URL: https://nij.ojp.gov/funding/awards/2013-ij-cx-0004 - O.C.G.A. 17-22-1 Text, Georgia Office of State Administrative Hearings (2025-01-01) [legislation, primary] URL: https://osah.ga.gov/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/OCGA-%C2%A7%C2%A7-17-22-1%E2%80%9317-22-12.pdf - SB 244 Signed, Office of the Governor of Georgia (2025-05-14) [legislation, primary] URL: https://gov.georgia.gov/document/2025-signed-legislation/sb-244/download - Texas Wrongful Conviction Payments (Zealous Advocate), Zealous Advocate (2025-01-01) [data_portal, secondary] URL: https://zealousadvocate.com/resources/studies/wrongful-conviction-payments/ - Tim Cole Act (Austin Chronicle), Austin Chronicle (2009-05-28) [journalism, secondary] URL: https://www.austinchronicle.com/daily/news/2009-05-28/787201/ - Timothy Cole Exoneration Review Commission Website, Texas Courts [official_report, primary] URL: https://www.txcourts.gov/organizations/policy-funding/timothy-cole-exoneration-review-commission/ - UNC Defender Manual Section 35.8, UNC School of Government [academic, secondary] URL: https://defendermanuals.sog.unc.edu/sites/default/files/pdf/35.8%20Innocence%20Inquiry%20Commission.pdf - Urban Institute: Post-Conviction DNA Testing and Wrongful Conviction, Urban Institute, Justice Policy Center by John K. Roman, Kelly Walsh, Pamela Lachman, Jennifer Yahner (2012-06-01) [academic, primary] URL: https://www.urban.org/research/publication/post-conviction-dna-testing-and-wrongful-conviction - WRAL on Senate Funding Cuts, WRAL (2025-04-01) [journalism, secondary] URL: https://www.wral.com/news/state/nc-senate-cuts-innocence-commission-funding-plea-house-april-2025/ - WUNC Q&A on Budget Cuts, WUNC (2025-04-17) [journalism, secondary] URL: https://www.wunc.org/politics/2025-04-17/nc-innocence-inquiry-commission-cut-senate-budget