Conviction Review Bureau

In April 2012, the New York State Attorney General established the Conviction Review Bureau (CRB) in the New York Office of Attorney General (OAG), a statewide initiative to address issues related to wrongful convictions. Partnering with law enforcement agencies, the CRB’s mandate is to help New York's criminal justice system maximize its ability to convict the real perpetrators of crimes, while preventing innocent people from being penalized for crimes they did not commit.

Jurisdiction to reconsider a criminal conviction rests with the office of the county prosecutor who obtained the conviction. However, a District Attorney's office may lack adequate resources to conduct a review, or may believe that a conflict of interest exists. In these instances, the OAG's Conviction Review Bureau offers its assistance to District Attorneys who seek help in performing an independent re-investigation when the claimant's other post-conviction and appeals options are exhausted.

The CRB reviews submitted claims and contacts the District Attorney in the county where the conviction occurred, perhaps making recommendations for review, and offering assistance, if requested.

If you wish to file a complaint alleging that you have been wrongfully convicted, please write the Conviction Review Bureau at 28 Liberty, New York, NY 10005.