Catalyzing Legal Reforms Through the Innocence Project: Insights and Innovations from Croatia

• In Event: Punishment and social context

Abstract

The Innocence Project in Croatia has emerged as a catalyst for positive change within legal systems globally, demonstrating significant potential for correcting wrongful convictions through comprehensive project research and the implementation of DNA evidence. This presentation delves into the extensive project research conducted in Croatia, focusing on wrongful convictions, the collection, utilization, and storage of DNA materials, and the pivotal role of Innocence Projects in fostering legal reforms. Identified challenges within the Croatian legal framework demand urgent attention, ranging from the initial handling of DNA data to the critical issue of compensating wrongfully convicted individuals.
Our project not only highlights these hurdles but also showcases strategies for overcoming them through strategic legal amendments and continuous training for judicial stakeholders. The dynamism of this theme underscores the necessity for persistent and efficient efforts in addressing these issues in practice, which includes improving DNA data processing and ensuring fair compensation for the wrongfully convicted. Key project recommendations include adopting the university model of the Innocence Project, fostering collaboration with international and regional Innocence Projects, enhancing support from domestic institutions, establishing training programs for young lawyers and law graduates, continuous education for police and judicial representatives, regular research and publication, advocating for legislative reforms, and considering effective rehabilitation programs for the wrongfully convicted. This presentation aims to share the Croatian project's journey from initiative to reality, highlighting its tangible contributions to the field, protecting the rights of wrongfully convicted individuals, and recommending strategies for legal and procedural enhancements. Through international cooperation, domestic institutional support, and continuous legal education, the Innocence Project in Croatia stands as a beacon of hope and a model for legal systems worldwide.

Authors

• Suncana Roksandic, Faculty of Law, University of Zagreb, Croatia

• Andrej Bozhinovski, Faculty of Law University of Zagreb