For Families
At NCCAN, we recognize that the family members and loved ones of incarcerated people are essential partners in the long journey to uncover and prove a wrongful conviction. When appropriate, you can support both our investigative work and your incarcerated loved one by collaborating with our team.
Explore our resources for families here:
For Prisoners
NCCAN reviews wrongful-conviction and innocence claims submitted by incarcerated individuals and their loved ones.
When you contact us, we will review your application and case summary to determine whether your case is a good fit for our organization.
If we are unable to take your case, we will direct you to other organizations or resources that may be able to help.
If we do pursue your case, we will begin assembling a team that may include innocence organizations, attorneys, private investigators, and subject-matter experts. We believe that a collaborative, team-based approach offers the strongest path toward a thorough investigation and uncovering the truth.
Because the innocence movement has limited resources, we aim to avoid duplicating services. Please let us know if you have applied to other organizations and the current status of those inquiries.
Additionally, inform us if you are currently working with an attorney, investigator, or any experts.
Getting Started
Completing an Application for Assistance is the first step in getting support from NCCAN. We’ve provided a PDF that you can download, print, and send to your incarcerated loved one. They will complete the application and mail it back to us. The PDF includes full instructions and a sample application for reference.
Working on an Innocence Case
Working on an innocence case involves many complex considerations.
To help guide you, we’ve prepared a detailed instructional PDF:
Release Form
To begin working with an incarcerated individual, we require a completed release form. You can fill out the form online or download it in one of several available formats below:
ONLINE FORM (Google Docs format)