Perceptions of exonerees in Australia

Identifying and preventing miscarriages of justice is paramount; however, it is also imperative to consider what happens to exonerees after they have been exonerated in order to better inform their integration into the community. The present study examined the influence of the type of evidence used to exculpate the accused, and the length of time spent in prison, on public perceptions of exonerees in Australia. Findings revealed innocent and exonerated individuals were perceived differently to guilty individuals in terms of desired closeness and did not suggest exonerees were stigmatised in the same way a guilty individual may be. Media coverage of the incidence of wrongful conviction is increasing public awareness; however, targeted education regarding the causes and impact of wrongful conviction may assist exonerees’ acceptance once integrated into the community.