In Pennsylvania, nearly 1 in 3 – or 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.

Criminal records are a major cause of poverty.

  • 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.

  • Nearly 9 in 10 employers, 4 out 5 of landlords, and 3 in 5 colleges do criminal record background checks.

  • 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.

  • 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.

Resources

Board of Pardons

The PA Board of Pardons has a website for those seeking a pardon. You can download on application or apply online. They also have a Frequently Asked Questions page that is very helpful.

Clean Slate Legislation

Click here to view a power point presentation given by our Program Coordinator at a 2019 Franklin Together Coalition Meeting about record expungement, petition based sealing and Clean Slate procedures.

Philadelphia resident Ronald Lewis was convicted of two misdemeanors in 2004. Almost 15 years later, his record still stands in the way of employment and other opportunities. However, states like Pennsylvania are advancing clean slate policies that seal minor criminal records after a set period of time, giving people like Ronald a second chance.
 

 

Are you ready for a Clean Slate? Clean Slate is a new law in Pennsylvania that helps people with certain criminal records get a fresh start. When a person is arrested, a criminal record is created. Even if the charges are dropped or they are found not guilty, it does not automatically go away.