Clemency Project

Clemency Project

The University of Minnesota Law School’s Clemency Project advocates for a humane criminal justice system that diverts individuals from the conviction process, provides “second look” opportunities for those serving excessive sentences, and mitigates the long-term impact of a criminal record. It is an integrated program, involving individual representation, impact litigation, policy advocacy and research. It connects law students directly to the human realities of mass incarceration, aptly described by former Solicitor General Walter Dellinger as “the great unappreciated civil rights issue of our day.” The Project also explores issues relating to the quality of incarceration. We draw on our work in individual cases to generate research insights and drive judicial and policy reforms that benefit a broader community of justice-impacted individuals.

The Project was inaugurated in 2014 by Professor JaneAnne Murray in response to President Obama’s clemency initiative for non-violent and low-level federal prisoners. Initially, its sole focus was federal clemency petitions, but it has since expanded its mission to include state clemency petitions, compassionate release applications, parole representations, post-conviction litigation to secure a judicial “second look” for individuals serving long sentences, an innovative clinic, policy advocacy and research. It has had unprecedented success, securing the release of 50 individuals, excluding those it has kept out of prison and individuals it has represented in parole proceedings.

The Project’s motto is one client at a time, with a view to zeroing in and showcasing the kinds of advocacy that can make a difference for other similarly-situated incarcerated and justice-impact individuals. The Project’s work includes: