THE CLEAN SLATE MOVEMENT
In 2018, Pennsylvania became the first state to enact Clean Slate legislation.
Now over 1.2 million Pennsylvanians have benefitted from Clean Slate, with over 40 million cases sealed.
But the work is far from done. Community Legal Services is at the forefront of continued Clean Slate advocacy inside of Pennsylvania and beyond. Join us in the Clean Slate Movement!
WHY CLEAN SLATE?
CLEAN SLATE AUTOMATED SEALING USES TECHNOLOGY TO SEAL MILLIONS OF RECORDS
Clean Slate is a big solution to a big problem sometimes called the “second chance gap.” According to a study in Michigan, only 6.5% of people eligible for record clearing filed petitions to get their records cleared. Most people who are eligible for record clearing don’t get their records cleared.
Clean Slate automated sealing addresses the gap between eligibility and uptake by sealing records through automation. Qualifying records are identified and sealed, without a petition being filed.
That means people benefit from record clearing even when they don’t have access to lawyers, can’t afford filing fees, or don’t know that their record is eligible.
9 in 10 Employers Use Background Checks in Hiring
Having even a minor criminal record can serve as a barrier to nearly all basic necessities including employment and housing. Records can also stop people from furthering their education and advancing in their careers.
In Pennsylvania, nearly three million people have a criminal record
Many have only minor convictions, while others have been arrested but never even convicted of a crime. Because of the rise of technology and background-checking, even a minor record can now cause lifelong barriers to opportunity. Records negatively impact individuals, families, communities, and the economy.
$87 billion is lost every year
Approximately $78 to $87 billion is lost every year in the United States GDP due to unemployment or underemployment of people with criminal records. Our nation’s poverty rate would have dropped by 20 percent over the past several decades if not for the barriers caused by incarceration and criminal records.
We all deserve a second chance
Research shows that people with old and minor criminal records are no more likely to commit future crimes than people without records. We all make mistakes, but only some are punished forever because of them.
Join the Clean Slate Movement: Bring Clean Slate to Your State
PENNSYLVANIA CLEAN SLATE PROGRESS
Since Clean Slate became law in 2018, CLS has worked to help implement it effectively. Read our May 1, 2020 report on Clean Slate implementation in Pennsylvania. We are proud of our progress breaking down barriers to sealing and spreading the word about Clean Slate.
Court fines and costs are no longer a barrier to sealing
A 2020 law removed court fines and costs as a barrier to sealing. Now charges are eligible to be sealed even if court fees, fines and costs are owed – as long as there is no restitution owed to a victim. Restitution must be paid before a case can be sealed. Learn more. The law is in effect now for automated sealing and sealing by court petitions.
Fixing cases with missing record data
Clean Slate automation relies on information in court and police databases to determine sealing eligibility. When the records database is missing information, that can mean that an eligible case is not sealed.
To help address this problem, Philadelphia’s First Judicial District ordered that some data be filled in. Under the FJD’s order, missing “grade” data (the seriousness of the offense) was entered into the database where the charged offense had a definite grade under Pennsylvania law. In accordance with this order, missing grade data was added to approximately 1.7 million offenses in June 2021.
Spreading the word
One challenge of Clean Slate is making sure that people know that their record has been sealed. Beneficiaries of Clean Slate automated sealing do not receive an official notice from the state. To get the word out, CLS has created online resources to help people understand their records, see if their record is sealed, and petition for record clearing.
WHAT’S NEXT FOR PENNSYLVANIA CLEAN SLATE?
Clean Slate Expansion: Felony sealing
Unlike the majority of states, Pennsylvania’s current sealing law does not allow for any felony conviction sealing. A new bill would change that. HB 1826 is sponsored by Rep. Sherlyn Delozier and Rep. Jordan Harris, long-time champions of the Clean Slate. Learn more and join the fight to expand Clean Slate!
Sealing FBI background checks
Right now, Pennsylvania’s sealed record data still appears on FBI background checks. The Pennsylvania State Police and the FBI are working together to solve this problem. Learn more about FBI records.
CLS IS A RECORD CLEARING PIONEER
The story of Clean Slate begins long before Pennsylvania’s Clean Slate law has passed in 2018. Community Legal Services has been a pioneer advocating for people with criminal records since the 1990s. Learn more.
CLEAN SLATE STORIES
With more than 50 million charges already sealed in Pennsylvania, the Clean Slate law has had a tremendous impact. Clean Slate has sealed records of over one million people, helping Pennsylvanians apply for jobs, housing, and school - without their old records holding them back.