You were really innocent, so how much money would you want?
“Suppose you spent five years in prison for a crime you didn’t commit. How much does the government owe you?
“Over the past few decades, the rise of DNA exonerations has made this a more pressing question. And many states have created explicit policies to answer it.
“But those policies vary wildly from state to state.
“Twenty-one states provide no money — though people who are exonerated can sue for damages. Twelve states and the District of Columbia award damages on a case-by-case basis.
“Another 17 states pay a fixed amount per year of imprisonment.”
– NPR
