Texas Ranks #4 in the U.S. in Wrongful Imprisonment Payouts, Study Shows

TYLER, Texas (TXAN 24) — A new study from criminal defense law firm Summit Defense reveals that Texas ranks fourth in the nation for compensation paid to wrongfully imprisoned individuals — both in terms of total payout and rate per capita.

Since 1989, Texas has paid out more than $180 million in wrongful imprisonment claims, the second-highest total in the country. That breaks down to about $574,432 per 100,000 residents, trailing only New York, Connecticut, and Maryland in per capita compensation.

New York leads the country with over $362 million in payouts — the equivalent of $1.82 million per 100,000 residents. The report notes that this sum is enough to buy every New Yorker a pair of Yankees tickets.

Connecticut comes second, with over $65 million paid out and the highest average compensation per exoneree at $4.08 million. Maryland follows closely behind in third for per capita spending, with $43 million paid overall.

Perhaps most telling, the study found that 17 U.S. states offer no compensation at all to those proven to be wrongfully imprisoned — highlighting stark disparities in justice across the country.

The data analyzed covers wrongful imprisonment claims from 1989 to April 2023, sourced from the National Registry of Exonerations.