Exonerees, crime survivors come together for healing | 60 Minutes

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Jennifer Thompson's Experience

Jennifer Thompson, a rape victim, was devastated to learn years later that the man she and the police had identified was innocent and had been wrongfully convicted.
Thompson has been working to bring together crime victims and innocent men from different cases for a "healing justice" retreat.

Wrongful convictions not only hurt the innocent person but also the original crime victims and their families, who are often overlooked.
Jennifer Thompson and other exonorees have spoken out about the challenges of rebuilding their lives after wrongful convictions.

Healing Justice is a nonprofit organization that brings together exonorees and crime victims for retreats to share stories, rebuild trust, and heal.
The retreats are designed to help both exonorees and crime victims process the trauma they have experienced.
On the second day of the retreat, participants write letters to themselves from the perspective of their critical mind and then rewrite them from a self-compassionate perspective.
The retreats also include improv games and art projects to help participants connect with their inner child and feel safe.
By the end of the retreat, participants often feel a sense of relief, openness, and courage.
The retreats are effective in helping both exonorees and crime victims heal from the trauma they have experienced.

Penny and Jennifer are survivors of sexual assault and are sharing their stories at a retreat.
Penny expresses sadness for the cases of sexual assault and for everyone impacted by them.
Penny believes that building relationships with others who have been harmed has helped her heal.
Jennifer appreciates the support she receives from others and realizes that she is also helping them in their healing journey.