Exonerees, crime survivors come together for healing | 60 Minutes

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.

Impact of Wrongful Convictions

• 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 Retreats

• 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's Stories

• 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.