LAIP’s mission is to exonerate the wrongly convicted; free the wrongfully incarcerated; uncover and remedy past misuse of forensic and other scientific evidence in the courtroom; improve standards for the use of forensic and other scientific evidence in the courtroom; and improve the dialogue between scientists and stakeholders in the criminal legal system and reform the criminal legal system to prevent future injustice. Through its work, LAIP educates the public, scientists, and stakeholders in the criminal legal system about the contributing causes of wrongful convictions and incarcerations. LAIP is committed to identifying and eradicating racial injustice in the criminal legal system and to supporting all victims of wrongful convictions, their families, and their communities.

LAIP believes in a world where the primary response to violations of the law is not a carceral one. We believe in a criminal legal system that recognizes the inherent dignity of all people. We believe in the possibility of a criminal legal system that is not infected by racial bias and does not criminalize poverty, mental illness, or drug addiction and that seeks to reduce harm, reconcile individuals, address trauma, and rebuild those individuals, communities, and institutions that have been damaged by crime and our society’s response to it. We believe that science can help us accomplish this vision.