Martin H. Tankleff recently returned from an international workshop in Bilbao, Spain, hosted by the International Institute for the Sociology of Law Foundation. He was a keynote speaker for the two day event, "Life after exoneration; is the worst yet to come?"
The meeting focused on the limited attention given to the consequences of exonerations. Wrongfully imprisoned individuals face incomprehensible social, emotional, and economic challenges, which may be further exacerbated after exoneration. Few support services are available for exonerees, and there is a lack of societal understanding of their needs. This is evident in the limited research on how society and legal professionals perceive exonerees and their experiences. These shortcomings also apply to others affected by wrongful convictions, including family members of wrongfully convicted individuals, victims of the crime in which a wrongful conviction took place, defense attorneys, jurors, post-conviction legal support providers etc.
The International Sociological Association’s Research Committee on the Sociology of Law and the Government of the Basque Country established the International Institute for the Sociology of Law in Oñati, Gipuzkoa, Spain in 1988. From the outset, the Institute created academic links and collaborative relations with various European and non-European universities by providing facilities for seminars, workshops, visiting scholars and library research. The Institute has as a result grown into an important base for the global network of scholars who work on law and social science issues.
Read more, here: https://www.iisj.net/en/workshops/life-after-exoneration-worst-yet-come
