Conviction Integrity Units
Conviction Integrity Units (CIUs) are specialized divisions within District Attorney offices that independently review past convictions to identify potential wrongful convictions. They are one of the most important mechanisms for post-conviction relief — yet many people never learn they exist. Below is a directory of every operating CIU we could verify across New York State, organized by region.
Critical: Filing a CIU request does NOT toll or extend statutory deadlines for filing appeals, CPL §440 motions, or federal habeas corpus petitions. Always consult a qualified attorney before and during this process.
What Is a CIU?
A Conviction Integrity Unit operates within a prosecutor's office to review closed cases when there is credible evidence that a conviction may have been wrongful. Unlike defense-side efforts, a CIU has access to the prosecution's original files, including evidence that may never have been disclosed to the defense.
CIUs do not represent the applicant. They act as objective investigators seeking to determine whether justice was served. If an investigation substantiates a claim of actual innocence, the office may join a motion to vacate the conviction, dismiss the charges, or agree to a retrial.
Not every county in New York has a CIU. As of the National Registry of Exonerations, only a minority of the state's 62 counties operate one, and their resources and track records vary widely. If your county is not listed below, you can still ask the local District Attorney's office whether it reviews post-conviction innocence claims.
Why Conviction Integrity Units Matter
When they function as intended, CIUs are one of the few doors that can reopen a closed case from the inside. They matter because they hold a kind of access — and a kind of power — that no defense attorney or family member has on their own.
Access to evidence no one else has
A CIU can reopen the prosecution's original case file — including evidence that may never have been turned over to the defense. No outside advocate or family member has that reach.
A faster route than appeals
When a unit substantiates a claim, the office can join a motion to vacate the conviction, dismiss the charges, or agree to a retrial — sometimes years sooner than the ordinary appellate process.
Real impact where they function
Nationally, conviction integrity and review units helped secure roughly 60% of the exonerations recorded in 2021, according to the National Registry of Exonerations.
Source: National Registry of Exonerations, Conviction Integrity Units.
The Coverage Gap — and Why It Matters
A CIU can only help you if the office that prosecuted your case actually has one. Because these units are optional, whether a conviction can be reviewed from the inside often depends less on the strength of the claim than on the county where the case was tried.
62
counties in New York — only a minority operate a dedicated CIU.
~2,300
prosecutor offices nationwide, but fewer than 100 known CIUs.
12
exonerations supported by all New York CIUs outside NYC — combined.
Coverage is concentrated in large urban offices. Rural and smaller counties frequently have no dedicated unit at all — relying on informal, ad hoc review or none — which leaves wide stretches of the state with no internal mechanism to catch a wrongful conviction. A 2025 investigation by New York Focus and Columbia Journalism Investigations found that nearly half of the state's 17 county-level units have never supported a single exoneration.
When There Is Little Incentive to Look Back
Reviewing an old conviction means a prosecutor's office examining its own work — and sometimes concluding that it got something badly wrong. That built-in tension helps explain why some jurisdictions never create a unit, and why some units that do exist rarely act.
No mandate means coverage follows politics, not need
No state or federal law requires a CIU. Each one exists only because an elected District Attorney chose to create it — so whether a county has one tracks local political will rather than the number of questionable convictions.
Reviewing your own office means admitting error
A CIU investigates convictions the same office secured. In more than 40% of New York cases reviewed, the prosecutor who handled the original case still worked in the office during the unit's reinvestigation.
Misconduct is rarely named
Where wrongful convictions involved credible allegations of prosecutorial misconduct, New York DA offices acknowledged it in only a small share of cases — and were far more likely to attribute the error to police than to their own attorneys.
The statewide backstop is thin
For counties with no unit, the Attorney General's Conviction Review Bureau is meant to be the fallback. Reporting found it flagged fewer than 2% of more than 800 applications for review, often functioning more like a mail-forwarding service than an investigative body.
The cost of not looking is real
New York has paid roughly $322 million to 237 wrongfully incarcerated people since 1989 — the highest per-capita total in the country. Every un-reviewed wrongful conviction carries both a human and a financial price.
Findings drawn from New York Focus / Columbia Journalism Investigations (2025) and The Guardian (2024). Figures describe systemic patterns, not any individual case or prosecutor.
New York Statewide CIU Directory
Every unit below has been verified against official District Attorney sources. Contact details can change — confirm on the official website before applying.
New York City
Manhattan District Attorney
Post-Conviction Justice Unit (PCJU)
Reviews closed cases to determine if convictions should be vacated or modified. Open to anyone convicted in a case prosecuted by the Manhattan DA, regardless of custody status or prior appeals. Founded 2010.
How to apply: Complete the application form available on the Manhattan DA website and submit it by email or mail.
Brooklyn (Kings County) District Attorney
Conviction Review Unit (CRU)
Part of the Post-Conviction Justice Bureau and the most productive unit in the state. Investigates credible claims of wrongful conviction by re-evaluating evidence using current forensic standards and re-interviewing witnesses. Founded 2011.
How to apply: Submit a case review request form through the Brooklyn DA website.
Queens County District Attorney
Conviction Integrity Unit (CIU)
Reviews cases where credible new evidence suggests a wrongful conviction. Focuses on felony convictions prosecuted by the Queens DA. Founded 2019. Note: the CIU asks that you not contact it by phone.
How to apply: If unrepresented, complete the CIU Intake Form on the Queens DA website and submit it by email or mail.
Bronx County District Attorney
Conviction Integrity Bureau
Reviews cases involving credible claims of actual innocence or other serious integrity issues in Bronx County convictions. Founded 2016.
How to apply: Contact the Bronx DA main office or write to the Conviction Integrity Bureau directly.
Staten Island (Richmond County) District Attorney
Conviction Integrity Review Unit (CIRU)
Established under DA Michael E. McMahon to review and help prevent wrongful convictions in Staten Island cases. Founded 2019.
How to apply: Email the CIRU directly at [email protected] to request a review.
Long Island
Nassau County District Attorney
Conviction Integrity Unit (CIU)
Part of the Special Proceedings Division. Investigates post-conviction claims of innocence and monitors advances in forensic science that may affect older cases. Founded 2013.
How to apply: Contact the Conviction Integrity Unit through the Appeals Bureau line or write to the office.
Suffolk County District Attorney
Conviction Integrity Bureau (CIB)
Investigates claims of actual innocence and wrongful conviction in Suffolk County cases. Requires new evidence, available case records, and full cooperation. Founded 2018.
How to apply: Visit the "Request Review of Conviction" page on the Suffolk County DA website for instructions and the application.
Hudson Valley
Westchester County District Attorney
Conviction Review Unit (CRU)
Evaluates credible claims of actual innocence or wrongful conviction. Founded 2021. Requests must be submitted in writing — the CRU does not take inquiries by phone.
How to apply: Submit a request by email or mail with a signed Consent Form (available on the Westchester DA website). Include the case number and a detailed explanation.
Putnam County District Attorney
Conviction Integrity Review
Reviews claims of actual innocence for Putnam County convictions. Founded 2016. The office cannot communicate with people who have a pending case or are represented by counsel — their attorney must make contact.
How to apply: Email the office to inquire about the review process. If you are represented, have your attorney initiate contact.
Dutchess County District Attorney
Conviction Integrity & Analytics Unit (CIAU)
Investigates claims of actual innocence, legal innocence, or other exceptional circumstances, and reviews prosecutorial practices. Accepts applications from the public.
How to apply: Contact the Dutchess County DA office to request the CIU application, which is also posted on the DA office web portal.
Western & Upstate New York
Erie County District Attorney (Buffalo)
Conviction Integrity Unit (CIU)
Reviews plausible allegations of wrongful conviction based on actual innocence or exceptional circumstances. Founded 2018. Applicants must not have a pending appeal, Article 440 motion, or habeas petition.
How to apply: Complete the "Application and Certification" form and email or mail it to the Conviction Integrity Unit.
Monroe County District Attorney (Rochester)
Conviction Integrity Unit (CIU)
Reviews claims of actual innocence, including newly discovered evidence, misidentification, witness recantation, and informant issues. A nine-member committee evaluates qualifying cases.
How to apply: Submit your claim of innocence or a CPL 440 motion; these are directed to the CIU Coordinator and First Assistant DA for review.
Statewide
New York State Attorney General
Conviction Review Bureau (CRB)
A statewide bureau (established 2012) that receives innocence claims. Important limitation: it has limited jurisdiction over county cases and often refers claims back to the original prosecuting DA. There is no public application portal.
How to apply: There is no dedicated CRB application form. Contact the Attorney General through the general helpline or online contact form.
Note: Other New York counties may also review innocence claims through their appeals bureaus even without a dedicated unit. If your county is not listed, contact the local District Attorney's office to inquire about post-conviction review options.
Working With a CIU: Guidance
Do
- Consult an attorney before submitting a CIU request
- Include all relevant case details: indictment number, conviction date, charges, and sentence
- Describe the new evidence or basis for the claim clearly and specifically
- Provide contact information for any witnesses or supporting parties
- Be truthful and thorough — CIU investigators check every claim
- Keep copies of everything you submit
Don't
- Assume a CIU request pauses or extends your appeal deadlines — it does not
- Wait for a CIU response before filing necessary court motions
- Submit to a CIU without understanding that the unit works for the prosecution, not the defense
- Expect immediate results — CIU investigations can take months or years
- Omit relevant facts, even if unfavorable — transparency is critical
Investigations & Reports
Independent journalists and research organizations have documented how CIUs work — and where they fall short. These outside sources are provided for education and context.
New York Focus / Columbia Journalism Investigations
New York's Conviction Integrity Units, Investigated
A 2025 investigative series finding that nearly half of the state's 17 county-level units have never supported a single exoneration.
Read moreNew York Focus
Who Prosecutors Blame for Wrongful Convictions
How DA offices rarely acknowledge prosecutorial misconduct in exonerations — and more often point to police instead.
Read moreNew York Focus
The Attorney General's Conviction Review Bureau
Reporting on the statewide backstop that flagged fewer than 2% of more than 800 applications for further review.
Read moreThe Guardian
New York's $322m in Wrongful-Conviction Payouts
The taxpayer cost of wrongful convictions — the highest per-capita compensation total in the nation.
Read moreNational Registry of Exonerations
Conviction Integrity Units Data
The national database tracking which offices operate a CIU and how many exonerations each has supported.
Read moreThe Appeal
Do Conviction Integrity Units Work?
An overview of what separates effective, independent units from those that exist in name only.
Read moreLinks lead to third-party websites. Legal-Misconduct.com does not control and is not responsible for external content.
Related Topics
Commission on Prosecutorial Conduct
The history of New York's independent commission — and how prosecutors fought to block it.
Prosecutorial Misconduct Overview
Common forms of misconduct, Brady violations, and what the law says about accountability.
Understanding Wrongful Convictions
Leading causes — from eyewitness misidentification to official misconduct — and why they happen.