25 years on, Midwest Innocence Project keeps fighting for justice | Opinion
“I’m focused on being better, not bitter,” said Faye Jacobs, who was incarcerated for 26 years for a crime she did not commit.
Faye is one of many individuals the Midwest Innocence Project has helped. MIP secured her freedom after decades of wrongful incarceration in Arkansas. Her words reflect resilience, but also a truth that should give us pause: No one should have to endure such harm to prove their innocence.
For 25 years, MIP has worked at the intersection of justice and humanity, confronting one of the most profound failures of our legal system: the wrongful conviction of innocent people. MIP remains dedicated to representing innocent, wrongfully convicted people across the five-state area of Missouri, Kansas, Iowa, Nebraska and Arkansas. This 25-year milestone reflects what is possible when a community commits to fairness, accountability and the belief that every person deserves to be heard.
Since its founding, MIP has helped secure freedom for people who spent years, sometimes decades, incarcerated for crimes they did not commit. In Missouri, that includes Kevin Strickland, who served more than 43 years before being exonerated — one of the longest wrongful incarcerations in state history. His case is a stark reminder of how long injustice can endure.
While MIP has had much success on behalf of innocent clients, the reality is sobering. An estimated 4% of those incarcerated across MIP’s five-state region may be innocent, amounting to roughly 4,000 individuals currently sitting behind bars for crimes they did not commit. At MIP, that number represents thousands of opportunities to correct injustice.
When I joined this work in 2025, I was struck by the staff’s commitment, and a persistent sense that something wasn’t adding up. Case after case challenged what I thought I understood about justice.
That feeling stayed with me. Because the deeper you go, the clearer it becomes: These are not isolated failures. These cases reveal patterns. And if they don’t make sense, that may be the point. Too often, logic and justice are outweighed by habit, bias or, “This is how it’s always been done.”
What makes navigating a difficult system harder is that wrongful convictions are not a mystery. The research is clear. The causes — mistaken eyewitness identification, flawed forensic practices, false confessions, state misconduct and systemic inequities — have been studied for decades. The data exists. The solutions are known. And yet, these cases persist. And victory takes years, money, resources and dedicated people who are unwilling to give up the fight.
For every person freed, many others are still waiting. Barriers remain.
This is why community support matters. MIP’s work requires sustained investment and advocacy. It depends on a community of folks who understand that justice is a shared responsibility.
Looking ahead, the next 25 years bring urgency and opportunity. MIP is positioned to continue correcting injustices and advancing solutions that prevent wrongful convictions. Just as important is supporting people after release. Freedom alone is not enough; true justice includes restoration.
Faye Jacobs is free, yet like many, she continues to navigate the weight of a record not fully cleared. Her experience reminds us that justice is not a moment — it is a process.
As we reflect on 25 years, progress is clear, but the work is far from finished.
If you believe in fairness over finality, and if these cases leave you asking how this continues to happen, you are not alone.
“I think you’re crazy/“Just like me” go the lyrics of Gnarls Barkley’s 2006 song “Crazy.” Maybe that shared disbelief is exactly where the next 25 years of progress begin. For more info on the Midwest Innocence Project, visit us at themip.org or follow us on social media.
Tahir Atwater is executive director of the 501(c)(3) nonprofit Midwest Innocence Project. Its 2026 Faces of Innocence event takes place April 30 at the Midland Theatre, hosted by Kansas City Chiefs Pro Football Hall of Fame lineman Will Shields.