Updates from CSI

Today is International Women’s Day, an annual moment to deeply reflect on women's contributions to shaping our lives, communities, and country. There is no limit to the number of women who have contributed to reforming our nation’s legal system, and we’ve highlighted a handful in this blog post from Sheena Meade, CEO.

At the end of January, the Maryland Clean Slate Act of 2024 was introduced in both chambers with bipartisan support and strong legislative champions. Learn more in this update from Ryan Ewing, Campaign Strategist.

At CSI, we are committed to bridging the gap between academic research related to our work and the real-life implications our work has. Learn how we bridge that gap by funding rigorous research — and acting on the results — in this blog post by Dr. Laura Chavez, Director of Research & Data.

January is National Poverty Awareness Month, a time dedicated to shining the light on those living in poverty and how our society can help identify solutions that could break the poverty cycle. Clean Slate policies offer a tangible solution to break this cycle. Read more in this blog post by Reginald Darby, CSI Federal Legislative Director.

Connecticut’s Clean Slate law, signed by Governor Ned Lamont in 2021, was initially slated to go into effect last year but faced unexpected delays that caused the full implementation to be pushed to 2024. Learn more in this update by Caitlin Dunklee, CSI Campaign Strategist.

Our team put together this year’s annual report to provide our donors, supporters, allies, and partners with a comprehensive and interactive overview of the work we tackled in 2023. Read more in this end of year recap from our CEO, Sheena Meade.

Clean Slate Delaware has created a resource to help adults with Delaware records navigate their path to a brighter future. Learn more in this update from Ryan Ewing, Campaign Strategist.

“It’s officially the season widely recognized for gratitude, so I want to take this opportunity to extend my thanks to every person who makes Clean Slate progress possible.”  Read more in this note from our CEO, Sheena Meade.

Start spreading the news. New York’s on its way. And while the song that says, “If I can make it there, I'm gonna make it anywhere,” is referring to New York City, the same determined spirit is held by people across the Empire State - from Buffalo to Long Island, Brooklyn to the Plattsburg, and everywhere in between.

It might be spooky season, but automated record sealing isn’t a scary topic. Read more from Chelsea Murphy, Campaign Strategist.

During the 2023 SCJA annual conference held in mid-September, CSI hosted a panel titled “Blank Pages, Bright Futures: Streamlining Record Clearance for a Clean Slate.” Learn more about our presentation in this blog post by Jesse Kelley, Senior Policy Strategist.

In February, I learned that, along with the National Council of Churches of Kenya and more than 300 other deserving nominees, the Florida Rights Restoration Coalition (FRRC) was nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize.