The University of Michigan continues its investigation into the causes of wrongful convictions via their archive of over 1000 cases where an innocent person was sent to prison. The varied judicial responses to recanting witnesses contained in this 10 page initial report is particularly telling.

In September 2012, the National Registry of Exonerations began a research study of all the cases in our database that involve post-conviction recantations by witnesses or victims. This is the first systematic study of recantations ever conducted. Its purpose is to identify patterns and trends among these cases, with a particular focus on the circumstances that first elicit the false testimony, and on the official reactions to the recantations by judges and other authorities.

www.law.umich.edu/special/exoneration/Documents/RecantationUpdate_5_2013.pdf