“They Stole 20 Years of My Life. What Do I Get in Return? Nothing.”
Imagine spending decades in prison for a crime you didn’t commit. You lose your job. Your home. Your family. Your reputation. Then, after years of fighting, you’re exonerated.
You walk out of prison with nothing.
This is the reality for many exonerees in the U.S.. While some states provide compensation, many give nothing at all.
The Cost of a Wrongful Conviction
✅ Legal fees – Many exonerees owe hundreds of thousands in legal costs.
✅ Lost income – Decades of missed career opportunities.
✅ Mental health treatment – PTSD, depression, and anxiety from wrongful incarceration.
✅ Housing & basic needs – Many exonerees leave prison with no home and no support.
And yet, many states refuse to pay for the damage they caused.
Which States Offer Compensation?
🚨 Only 38 states have laws providing some level of compensation for exonerees.
🚨 Some states, like Georgia and South Carolina, provide NOTHING.
🚨 Even in states that offer compensation, it can take years to receive it.
💰 Texas provides up to $80,000 per year of wrongful imprisonment.
💰 Florida, New York, and California offer compensation but with strict eligibility rules.
💰 In Illinois, some exonerees receive financial support, but many fall through the cracks.
There is no uniform standard for compensating innocent people.
🚨 This must change. Exonerees deserve financial restitution for the years stolen from them.
Contact your lawmakers. Demand fair compensation laws. Justice isn’t justice without restitution.
