Conference Name: 2022 Nexus Conference on Wrongful Convictions (“NCWC”)
Dates: September 26, 2022 – September 30, 2022
Format: Virtual
Website: www.nexusconferenceonwrongfulconvictions.com
Request for Presentations and Papers: Submission Link

View PDF in English

Conference Overview and Objectives:

Those involved in post-conviction review and relief work in common law jurisdictions (such as Canada, the United Kingdom, Australia, and New Zealand) face similar challenges and legal barriers with respect to remedying and preventing wrongful convictions. In response, the NCWC will provide a virtual forum in which experience, research, and ideas can be exchanged between these countries.

The objective of the NCWC is to facilitate dialogue and connections between legal practitioners, academics, students, and exonerees working in post-conviction review. We hope to discuss common challenges, share success stories, review the latest jurisprudence and advances in forensic science, and collaborate on recommendations for best practices and reform. The NCWC is jointly organized by the UBC Innocence Project, Innocence Canada, Innocence Project London, Griffith University Innocence Project, and The International Centre for Criminal Law Reform and Criminal Justice Policy.

Conference Format and Presentation Details:

Each day of the conference will be hosted virtually by a different country. Following a keynote address, attendees will have the option of attending one of three breakout sessions, organized into three tracks: practice, scholarship, and policy. Each track will feature a panel of researchers and practitioners who will share their research, experiences and recommendations on a common theme and participate in a moderated discussion with other presenters and attendees. Exonerees will also be involved in the presentation of the conference and through participation in an exoneree track.

The Organizing Committee is requesting submissions from practitioners and academics who would like to share their experiences or research for approximately 20 minutes and engage in a moderated conversation with other panelists engaged in similar work in their own or other jurisdictions.

After the Conference has concluded, a position paper summarizing the major problems of wrongful conviction review in common law jurisdictions, potential solutions, and best practices will be drafted and distributed.

Topics of Interest:

Led by a committee with representation from Innocence Projects in Canada, the United Kingdom, and Australia, the conference aims to address a number of topics through its keynote presentations and parallel sessions.

The sample topics listed below are intended only to provide guidance on the types of subject matter that the conference will feature. If you have a submission that is not directly related to a topic below, but that relates to post-conviction review and the issue of wrongful convictions, we encourage you to submit it.

Tracks

Practice – Sample Themes

• Forensic Science
• Investigation Techniques
• Procedure (i.e., out of time cases, challenging false guilty pleas)
• Eligibility, Intake and Review Processes
• Media
• Cultural awareness and competency

Scholarship – Sample Themes

• Expert Evidence
• Judicial Gatekeeping
• Race and Indigeneity

Policy – Sample Themes

• Compensation
• Procedural Reform
• Evidence Preservation
• Post-Conviction Policy

Guide for Presenters:

We invite scholars and practitioners to submit proposals for presentations aligned to the conference objectives and themes. We also welcome presentations about ongoing projects at any stage of their development.

Those interested in participating should submit a 300-500 word description of the proposed presentation topic or research paper abstract. All proposals must be submitted in the English language.

Proposals will be submitted electronically through the submission link. Please submit the completed proposal by 16 May 2022.

Important Dates:

• Proposal submissions open 4 April 2022
• Proposal submission deadline 16 May 2022
• Notification of acceptance out 20 June 2022
• Final paper/presentation submission deadline 10 September 2022
• Conference 26-30 September 2022

Organizing and Submission Review Committee:

• Tamara Levy Q.C., Director, UBC Innocence Project
• Louise Hewitt, Director, Innocence Project London
• Robyn Blewer, Director, Griffith University Law School Innocence Project, Australia
• Johanna MacDonald, Director of Education, Innocence Canada
• Maria Shepherd, Director, Innocence Canada
• Win Wahrer, Co-Founder and Director of Client Services, Innocence Canada
• Marcella Chan, Director of Programs, The International Centre for Criminal Law Reform and Criminal Justice Policy

For any enquiries regarding the conference, please contact: <[email protected]>

We look forward to receiving your submissions and seeing you at the 2022 Nexus Conference on Wrongful Convictions.

Photo by Tingey Injury Law Firm on Unsplash.