The Innocence Institute of Point Park University is a journalism-based investigative reporting project that researches allegations of wrongful conviction. In operation since 2001, its work has ranged from reports on individual allegations of wrongful convictions to a series of reports about trends in law enforcement. More than 100 students have researched and reported on these cases and written more than 200 investigative stories. The results: 13 convictions overturned.Most of the stories were exclusives in the Western Pennsylvania market.We are one of two journalism-based Innocence Institute projects in the nation; the work has brought us students from across the nation and brought Point Park national recognition.

The project began as a partnership with the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette and Point Park University and it has been led since its inception by veteran and award-winning investigative reporter and Point Park associate professor Bill Moushey. The Post-Gazette partnership ended in 2007, and the Innocence Institute now publishes an annual magazine, Justice, covering thematic investigations into malfeasance, misconduct, and claims of actual innocence from prisoners in the United States Justice System.

Justice Magazine Volume 1 was released in 2008, focusing on "junk science" as it relates to prosecutorial misconduct. Click here to read the stories of seven individuals who were convicted despite junk science issues that questioned whether justice was truly served.