Wilson Center for Science and Justice Updates DNA Exonerations Database, Adding 80 Cases
Expanded resource now includes 455 DNA exonerations and new findings on false confessions, cited by practitioners nationwide
The Wilson Center for Science and Justice has released a major update to its DNA Exonerations Database, adding 80 new cases and bringing the total number of documented DNA exonerations in the United States to 455. The update marks the first comprehensive expansion of the national list 2020.
The expanded database continues a critical national record of wrongful convictions overturned through DNA testing. The updated data reveal striking new information about false confessions. The database now documents more than 100 cases involving false confessions in DNA exonerations. In nearly all of those cases, the innocent person’s confession included details that prosecutors argued only the true perpetrator could have known — details that later proved unreliable once DNA evidence identified the actual perpetrator.
“These cases powerfully demonstrate why it is so important to have this information collected, analyzed, and publicly available,” said Professor Brandon Garrett, faculty director of the Wilson Center. “Each exoneration represents a profound human cost. When we can see the full scope of DNA exonerations in one place, patterns emerge, including the prevalence of false confessions. Understanding these patterns can help courts, policymakers, and the public understand what went wrong and how to prevent future miscarriages of justice.”
Garrett has also released a short report analyzing the new findings on false confessions, highlighting how frequently law enforcement obtained statements that appeared credible at the time but were later disproven by DNA testing.
The database serves not only as a research tool but also as a practical resource for legal practitioners. For example, the Innocence Project recently cited it in an amicus brief filed in Barbour v. Alabama Department of Corrections, underscoring its importance in contemporary litigation and policy debates.
By maintaining and expanding the database, the Wilson Center aims to ensure that courts and policymakers have access to the most complete and current information about wrongful convictions proven by DNA evidence.
The updated DNA Exonerations Database and the accompanying report are available at Convicting the Innocent.