Most exonerees receive no monetary compensation for the years spent behind bars. 25 States have no compensation legislation and provide no assistance of any kind to those they lock up for years for a crime they did not commit.
In the remaining 25 states with compensation, many of the laws are outdated, providing meager amounts of money or limited eligibility. In Wisconsin, for example, a state with compensation legislation, the maximum exoneree award is $25,000, even if dozen or more years were spent behind bars. The average exoneree spends 12.5 years in prison. Under Wisconsin law, the maximum allowed for the average exoneree is $2,000/year!
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