How the Clean Slate Initiative Helps Formerly Incarcerated People

“When these needs are met, we do not just empower formerly incarcerated people—we prevent crime and make our communities safer.”

In 2017, Prison Fellowship—the nation’s largest nonprofit serving prisoners, former prisoners, and their families—began observing Second Chance Month in April. The goal was to raise awareness about the barriers that formerly incarcerated people face when returning home and to advocate for elected leaders to pass policies that will allow them to have a second chance at life. These efforts have gained traction, with multiple governors passing resolutions recognizing the observance of Second Chance Month in their states.

President Biden also recognized the month in a statement, as he noted that those with criminal history records face obstacles to finding steady jobs, safe housing, affordable health care, and good education. “Studies show that when these needs are met, we do not just empower formerly incarcerated people—we prevent crime and make our communities safer,” the proclamation read.

The Impact of Clean Slate Policies

One of the reasons formerly incarcerated people face so many barriers to attaining critical needs like housing, jobs, healthcare, and education is because they are often stigmatized and discriminated against because of their background—even if they are no longer involved in criminal activity. As the National Institute of Justice notes, there are more than 44,000 collateral consequences on the federal, state, and local levels that block access to public benefits, employment opportunities, and other crucial services that are necessary for formerly incarcerated people to build stable lives and avoid recidivism. “Nine out of ten employers, four out of five landlords, three out of five colleges use background checks to screen applicants for records,” said Sheena Meade, Clean Slate Initiative’s CEO, in an interview with NPQ.

This organization works to combat the barriers that formerly incarcerated people face by advocating for policies that automatically clear arrest and conviction records for eligible people. Automatic record clearance has proven to be helpful for many formerly incarcerated people because many do not know they are eligible to apply for expungement. And if they know they are eligible to have their record cleared, the time and resources to do so may prove to be cumbersome.

“Nine out of ten employers, four out of five landlords, three out of five colleges use background checks to screen applicants for records.”

Since Pennsylvania became the first state to enact a clean slate law in 2018, 11 other states have done so. According to the Clean Slate Initiative, the enactment of these laws has led to record clearance for over 15 million people. Eligibility requirements look different in each state that has passed and implemented Clean Slate policies.

In an interview with Blavity, Meade uplifted the real-life impact of clean slate policies. She mentioned a woman named Elvina from Michigan, who struggled to find gainful employment for 18 years because of a prior conviction. After her record was cleaned last year, however, she has since found employment at a state university and has even been promoted.

Elvina is not alone. A study in Michigan found that a year after record clearance, people are 11 percent more likely to be employed, with 22 percent earning higher wages. A formerly incarcerated person herself, Meade understands why it is critical for those who are closest to the problem to be close to the solutions.

Meade says that the biggest challenge with her work is that the common person often doesn’t understand how mass incarceration works or how the history of mass incarceration has impacted so many people: 114 million people have been arrested or convicted of a crime.

Meade often reminds people that one in three people in the country have a record. When she is speaking before people, she will urge them to look around and think about a third of the room having a record and being denied opportunities because of it. For Meade, education on the issue is critical and one of the first steps to enacting policy change.

The Ongoing Advocacy Efforts 

This month, the Clean Slate Initiative is amplifying its work by engaging in an education campaign. Even staff members of the organization are seeking to reeducate themselves and learn more about the issues people face. Across the country, for instance, the organization has staff members engaging in expungement clinics to see firsthand the obstacles people face to get their records cleared.

Additionally, earlier this month, the organization hosted a webinar where it officially launched its data dashboard, showing how disproportionately Black and Brown people are impacted by criminal justice issues across the country and how clean slate policies could give relief to millions of people. “There are states that are still working on legislation that we’re hoping will pass,” Meade said.

“People having second chances or people having access to jobs, housing, education should not be something that has political discord or political bickering.”

As Meade notes, Second Chance Month is an opportunity to amplify the work that goes on all year long. Last year, the Clean Slate Initiative was awarded a $75 million commitment through the Audacious Project.​​ The organization plans to use the funds to continue to pass clean slate laws in 15 states over the next six years.

Although clean slate laws have been slowest to be enacted in the South—the most carceral region in the country—Meade is hopeful, especially because she has seen firsthand the power of bipartisan organizing.

In 2018, she organized with the Florida Rights Restoration Coalition, an organization that her husband founded, to advocate for the restoration of voting rights for formerly incarcerated people in the state. The coalition garnered the support of five million people who voted yes on Amendment 4, allowing 1.4 million formerly incarcerated people in the state to have their voting rights restored.

Although formerly incarcerated voters have continued to face challenges in Florida—and many other Southern states—the message is clear: criminal justice reform policies impact a vast array of people and can gain broad support.

“When you think about issues like Amendment 4 or other criminal justice issues that have been able to make strides. It’s because…it’s people over politics. It’s about people. It’s about redemption, forgiveness, second chances,” Meade said. “People having second chances or people having access to jobs, housing, education should not be something that has political discord or political bickering.”