There is currently a groundswell for criminal justice reform. At the same time, much is being written about the lack of hard facts and reliable data to inform these changes. This clinic aims to step into that void and take on collaborative projects to produce those hard facts and reliable data for all types of organizations that need it.
Clinic students will produce white papers, op-eds, research papers and/or testimony in support of legislation related to criminal justice reform. Students should expect to devote a minimum of 12-15 hours to clinic work each week.
Some projects may involve meetings/document review in other offices in the Commonwealth of Virginia, so a car would be useful, although not essential. Additionally, having a full day with no classes (preferably a Monday or a Friday) to travel/investigate will greatly enhance the clinical experience.
Projects for the 2025-26 school year included:
- At the request of the elected Norfolk Commonwealth's Attorney, we reviewed and analyzed all the serious felony cases that had been assigned to a corrupt homicide detective who was later convicted and served time for crimes he committed while employed by the Norfolk Police Department.
- We began studying the fairness and practicality of requiring individuals to repay the state for the appointment of counsel if they are found guilty or plead guilty, an issue that has caused serious concern in many states.
- After being allowed to review, photograph and copy all the physical evidence belonging to a known (deceased) serial killer, we created an electronic data base that we are using to link the serial killer to cold cases and to cases where the wrong person might have been convicted.
- We worked collaboratively with several other clinics and organizations to study local issues surrounding the complicated relationships between reentry, recidivism and gun violence.
- We had previously completed the creation of a searchable electronic database of all the decisions made by the Virginia Parole Board since 2015. We began analyzing the data and comparing Virginia's treatment of parole with other states.
Faculty
Deirdre M. Enright
Professor of Law, General Faculty
Director, Center for Criminal Justice
Director, Project for Informed Reform
Skills Taught
Collaboration, empirical research, policy analysis, nonlitigation writing
Grading
S/U (fall); H/P/F (spring)
Course Credits
8 (4 fall/4 spring)
Instructors
In the News
News About the Project for Informed Reform
6.20.24 Clinic’s Evidence Plays Role in Dismissal of S.C. Murder Charges
11.3.23 Clinic, Prosecutor Partner To Investigate Cases Linked to Disgraced Detective
5.13.22 Innocence Clinic Leaders Win UVA’s Collaborative Excellence in Public Service Award
7.6.21 UVA Law Launches New Project on Criminal Justice Reform
Recent Media Coverage
4.1.25 “Law Students Craft Database Showing Patterns of Parole in Virginia” (Radio IQ)
3.25.24 “What To Know About South Carolinian Serial Killer, Potential Ties to Crimes in SC” (The Post and Courier)
3.22.24 “UVA Professor Explores Possible Serial Killer Link in Unsolved Justin Turner Murder Case” (ABC 4 News)
11.6.23 “Man Exonerated Due to Criminal Norfolk Detective Supports New Review of Old Cases” (WTKR Radio)
11.2.23 “UVA Law Clinic Reviewing Decades of Convictions Linked to Disgraced Norfolk Police Detective” (WHRO Radio)
10.27.23 “Old Cases Connected To Corrupt Norfolk Officer To Be Reviewed by UVA Innocence Project” (The Virginian-Pilot)
10.27.23 “Norfolk Prosecutors Partner With UVA Innocence Project To Review Disgraced Detective’s Cases” (WTKR3)
10.27.23 “Cases Connected to Convicted Former Norfolk Police Detective To Be Reviewed by Prosecutors” (13News Now)
University of Virginia School of Law professor Deirdre Enright has been studying the life and mind of a deceased serial killer, and has collected evidence that may have helped clear an aging South Carolina couple accused of killing their 5-year-old son 35 years ago.