About INUK
Video of a lecture by Dr Michael Naughton on the setting up of INUK.
LawWorks Student Conference, Nottingham Trent University, November 2008
You can also view this video here.
What is INUK?
INUK was established by Dr Michael Naughton in the School of Law at the University of Bristol in September 2004. INUK undertakes and facilitates investigations into claims of innocence by alleged victims of wrongful convictions.
INUK’s overall aim is to improve the criminal justice system by overturning convictions given to innocent people and effecting reforms of the criminal justice system to prevent such wrongful convictions from occuring in the future.
INUK draws support from a wide range of constituency groups concerned with wrongful convictions, including academics, criminal appeal lawyers, victim support groups and campaigning organisations, forensic scientists and investigative journalists.
INUK is NOT a campaign or victim support group.
INUK’s legal and charitable status is covered by the University of Bristol, an exempt charity that is not required to register with the Charity Commission.
Why do we need INUK?
1. PROBLEMS WITH THE SYSTEM
Despite the creation of the Criminal Cases Review Commission (CCRC) or the Scottish Criminal Cases Review Commission (SCCRC) in Scotland, the problem of the wrongful conviction and/or imprisonment of factually innocent people remains a continuing feature of our criminal justice system. Put simply, innocent people are still being convicted and find it difficult, sometimes impossible, to have their cases referred back to the appeal courts.
2. VICTIMS
The wrongful conviction of innocent people inevitably results in serious financial and emotional damage far beyond harm to the prisoner only. It extends to family, friends and society itself, because the real perpetrator is still at large and justice has not been done.
3. PROGRESSING PRISONERS MAINTAINING INNOCENCE
Life sentenced prisoners maintaining innocence are, generally, unable to progress through the prison system, with a view to consideration for parole, as they refuse to acknowledge their crimes (because they maintain innocence), which the system considers an essential pre-requisite for rehabilitation. So they are faced with the impossible decision of admitting to the crime, in the hope of release, or continuing to maintain innocence, knowing that they may never come out of prison as a result.
4. NO ALTERNATIVE ORGANISATION
The INUK was established because there is no other organisation that can address these problems in the same way. As an independent umbrella organisation, with a firm educational base, it can provide a strong voice in a unique, collaborative way.
INUK History
INUK was officially launched at a press conference on the eve of the Innocence Projects Colloquim held at the University of Bristol, School of Law, 3rd September 2004, that explored the feasibility of establishing innocence projects in UK universities, similar to those that exist in the United States.
The following is a selection of links to media coverage:
BBC News UK
Article in The Guardian by Lee Glendinning
University of Bristol
The launch of the INUK also featured in the Times Law Reports, 7 September, 2004
The Innocence Projects Colloquium was attended by over 80 delegates comprised of prominent academics from the UK, the USA, and Australia, interested parties from the victim support and campaigning organisations, leading activists, and criminal appeal lawyers.
During the day, members from the Innocence Network in the USA and the Australia Innocence Network shared information on the various models that innocence projects can take, as well as their own personal experiences of their day-to-day running.
Victims of wrongful imprisonment such as Paddy Hill (Birmingham 6) and Mike O’Brien (Cardiff Newsagent Three) spoke of the harm that they had endured and their continuing struggle to fit back into society after over a decade of incarceration.
Representatives from leading legal organisations, including the Historical Abuse Appeal Panel (HAAP), the Criminal Appeal Lawyers Association (CALA), and eminent forensic scientists, all expressed their commitment to assisting the work of innocence projects if they were to be established in the UK.
The day was concluded by Sir Ludovic Kennedy, a campaigner against wrongful convictions for almost half a century, with a rousing speech on the necessity of a united movement to bring about meaningful and lasting reform of the criminal justice system.
Even the CCRC welcomed the creation of the INUK and the innocence projects initiative, conceding that they were often helpless in assisting innocent victims of wrongful conviction if they did not fulfil the criteria laid down under the Criminal Appeal Act 1995. The limits of the appellate system dictate that applicants to the CCRC must present fresh evidence or fresh arguments to have their cases referred to the appeal court. This means that if the CCRC have evidence of innocence that was available at the original trial, it will not always constitute grounds for referral.
Feedback from exit questionnaires confirmed that the day was a resounding success and it was firmly established that there was both a need and a desire to support INUK in attempts to improve the criminal justice system.