Being the victim of a miscarriage of justice or of a preventable medical accident or gross medical negligence produces a combination of emotions that are very hard to cope with. Grief, loss, depression and anger are compounded by the fact that your experiences are the result of, at best, negligence and inefficiency or, at worst, malevolence. The pain of this revelation may be so overwhelming that it can hold you back from recovery.
Groups such as MOJO, United Against Injustice and INNOCENT can provide a source of support and advice. The Criminal Cases Review Commission and the Independent Police Complaints Commission undertake independent investigations into, respectively, miscarriages of justice and allegations of misconduct by the police. See Find out more for details.
However, whereas offenders reaching the end of their sentence are given help and guidance towards their rehabilitation into the community, this is not the case if you are suddenly released because you have been unjustly convicted. You are left to your own resources and the wait for compensation may be a long one. Meanwhile, you need to take positive action to heal your life. Otherwise, you will remain, in effect, imprisoned as you wait for official recompense for the fact that you have been wronged.
The Department of Health estimates that, each year in England alone, there are about 850,000 medical accidents in hospitals. People who have suffered from them or from medical neglect, or who have lost relatives because of either, typically experience an extremely long wait for compensation during which the grieving process may be suspended.
Victims of such accidents and neglect and the relatives of victims frequently comment: 'It's not the money that matters – we want to make sure it doesn't happen to someone else' and, tellingly, 'If they had just said "Sorry", we would never have sued.' It is important for the healing process that the wrong that has been done is acknowledged. However, although the law has been changed to speed up the compensation process, taking on the NHS can still be confusing and stressful.
• Learn to accept what cannot be changed, and learn how to work a change where it is possible.
• Feeling hate minimises the feeling of powerlessness against injustice and is a healthy part of the recovery process, as long as you eventually let go of the emotion and move on. The wish for revenge, however, can be self-destructive. Studies of trauma victims have shown that repetitive thoughts of revenge merely increase the victim's torment.
• If you have been deliberately subjected to injustice, remember that goodness and support also exist in the world.
• Avoid loneliness and isolation. Find a purpose in your life that involves other people's needs.
• Think about the future, and make a plan of what you want to achieve. Work towards replacing thoughts of a painful past with a positive view of your future.
• Join a support group so that you can share your thoughts and feelings with other people in the same position.
• Don't let anger rule your life. Distract yourself from angry thoughts by using relaxation techniques, yoga, sport, music, painting, music, talking to a close friend – whatever works best for you. Remind yourself that you are in control of your anger and can overcome it.
• If you feel you cannot cope, see your GP and ask for information on counselling and other talking therapies.