Wrongful Conviction and Exoneration

Only recently did we realize the frequency in which innocent defendants are wrongly convicted in the U.S. and around the globe. Being exonerated of a wrongful conviction is a fortunate occurrence for these innocent individuals. But, we are only beginning to unveil the difficult process that these innocent individuals face in their attempts for exoneration. Moreover, innocent individuals exonerated of wrongful convictions often continue to face barriers upon release and exoneration when trying to reintegrate back into society. Our research has focused on some of the difficulties associated with getting exonerated and the perpetual stigma that those who falsely admit guilt face even when deemed innocent by DNA evidence.

Related Publications

Scherr, K.C., & Normile, C.J. (2022). False confessions predict a delay between release from incarceration and official exoneration. Law and Human Behavior, 46, 67-80. (Recipient of APA's Article Spotlight)

Scherr, K.C., Redlich, A.D, & Kassin, S.M. (2020). Cumulative disadvantage: A psychological framework for understanding how innocence can lead to confession, wrongful conviction, and beyond. Perspectives on Psychological Science, 15, 353-383.

Scherr, K.C., Normile, C.J., Luna, S., Redlich, A.D., Lawrence, M., & Catlin, M. (2020). False admissions of guilt associated with wrongful convictions undermine people’s perceptions of exonerees. Psychology, Public Policy, and Law, 26, 233-244.

Scherr, K. C., Normile, C. J., & Putney, H. (2018). Perpetually stigmatized: False
confessions prompt underlying mechanisms that motivate negative perceptions of exonerees. Psychology, Public Policy, and Law, 24, 341-352.

Scherr, K. C., Normile, C. J., & Sarmiento, C. M. (2017). An experimental test of persevering culpability judgments on people's willingness to support reintegration services for exonerees. Journal of Experimental Criminology.