Resources
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Advocacy Resources
One in three people in America has some type of arrest or conviction record. Even a minor record can present lifetime barriers to obtaining jobs, housing, and education, and put other opportunities out of reach.
Fortunately, there’s a solution - automatic record clearing once someone remains crime-free for a set period of time. Momentum for these policies is growing across the country – and using these communications tools, advocates are urging to give millions of people a clean slate.
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Research
We believe that everyone deserves another chance. Aside from being the right thing to do, Clean Slate policies have demonstrable impacts on local economies, community safety, and people’s ability to move beyond having a record.
We’re adding more research soon. So, check out what’s available now, and be sure to check back soon for more research about the benefits of Clean Slate policies.
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Videos
There’s a reason videos catch our attention as we scroll on our phones. Videos can be effective storytelling tools that can create connections and inspire us to take action.
Check out some of the most captivating Clean Slate videos that can help us spread the message about the need to pass Clean Slate policies.
Communications Toolkit
One in three people in America has some type of record. Even a minor record can present lifetime barriers to obtaining jobs, housing, and education, and put other opportunities out of reach. The barriers associated with a record can have ripple effects for generations: Nearly half of U.S. children now have at least one parent with a criminal record, with negative consequences for children’s cognitive development, school performance, and even employment outcomes in adulthood.
As a result, most states allow people to petition for expungement or sealing of at least certain types of records. Record clearing can be life-changing: Research from the University of Michigan finds that a year after a record is cleared, people are 11 percent more likely to be employed and are earning over 22 percent higher wages.
Unfortunately, under the cumbersome and complicated petition-based system used in most states, only a tiny fraction of people eligible for expungement or sealing ever obtain the relief they need. Navigating the complex record-clearing process can prove extremely challenging, often requiring expensive legal assistance and court fees—making it impossible for millions to move on with their lives.
Fortunately, a policy known as “clean slate” offers a solution: automatic record clearing once someone remains crime-free for a set period of time. This is where you come in. Momentum for these policies is growing across the country – and using these communications tools, you can help urge lawmakers in your state to give people a clean slate.
The toolkit includes:
Talking points
Fast facts
Frequently asked questions
Sample letters to the editor
Sample social media posts and graphics
Additional Resources
Research
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A State Agenda for America’s Workers: 18 Ways to Promote Good Jobs in the States
The Economic Policy Institute, National Employment Law Project, and Economic Analysis and Research Network recently published a blueprint of policies, promoting good jobs, good pay, and safe workplaces, for states to take up in the upcoming legislative cycle. The agenda includes the recommendation to advance clean slate legislation, which uses technology to automatically clear criminal records for people with certain nonviolent offenses. Even a minor criminal record can create a barrier to opportunity, but clean slate legislation offers states a solution.
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Repairing the Road to Redemption in California
This first-of-its-kind study offers policy recommendations for eliminating unnecessary barriers and legal restrictions associated with a criminal record, based on the real-life experiences of justice-involved Californians and the challenges they face. Survey data show that more than three-quarters of people with records have faced roadblocks to opportunity, including nearly half that report difficulty finding employment and one-quarter who struggle to find housing. Solutions such as automated record-clearing and streamlined expungement processes can help ensure that millions of Americans are able to get the second chance they deserve.
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Voters Across Party Lines Support Clean Slate Legislation
A 2018 study from the Center for American Progress finds that, across party lines, American voters believe people who have paid their debt to society deserve a second chance. The poll finds 70 percent support for clean slate automated record-clearing, including 75 percent support among Democrats and 66 percent support among Republicans.
