Abstract
This comment reviews the history and consequences of wrongful convictions, explores the proposed Conviction Integrity Act of 2021, and scrutinizes Texas's role in exonerations. The root of wrongful convictions depends on various factors. However, the slow overturn of wrongful convictions largely depends on the lack of funding conviction integrity units and innocence organizations receive. The devastating truth is that there are many known wrongfully incarcerated persons sitting in prison because of the amount of funds necessary to reinvestigate a possible exoneration. This comment walks through the Conviction Integrity Act of 2021, a bill proposed by Senator Klobuchar and Senator Cornyn, which aimed to fund new conviction integrity units or provide additional funding for existing units. The bill also aimed to provide funding for innocence organizations. Ultimately, the bill offered conviction integrity units and innocence organizations the chance to pursue more cases, however since its rejection, the bill now serves as a template for Texas senators to propose their own bill. This comment argues that Texas senators must act and propose a new bill to provide funding for conviction integrity units and innocence organizations. Lastly, this comment encourages Texas to pursue restorative justice and help those wrongfully incarcerated.
Last Page
537
First Page
497
Recommended Citation
Jasmine Silva,
Your Turn Texas: A Failed Bill for Conviction Integrity Units and Funding,
27
The Scholar
497
(2025).
Available at:
https://commons.stmarytx.edu/thescholar/vol27/iss3/4
Volume Number
27
Issue Number
3
Publisher
St. Mary's University School of Law
Editor
Makayla Perez
ISSN
1537-405X
