IL HJR0055

Urges the Illinois Attorney General's Office to establish a task force to examine creating a statewide conviction integrity unit.

A conviction integrity unit would investigate claims of innocence to determine whether new evidence demonstrates the convicted defendant was not the actual offender.

78 prosecutors and attorneys general nationwide have created conviction integrity or review units in the past decade, leading to the release of 461 people.

Attorneys general in Washington D.C. and eight states (Connecticut, Delaware, Michigan, Minnesota, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, and Virginia) have launched similar conviction review units.

The unit would help address racial inequity in the criminal justice system, mass incarceration, and ensure Illinois prioritizes justice and truth over preserving convictions despite new evidence.