Today, one in three Americans, or 80 million people, is living with a criminal record, often hindering their chances of success long after they have been exonerated or completed their sentence. A criminal record can create significant challenges for individuals in finding a job, securing or maintaining housing, or continuing education or job training.

Over the past decade, attention to the impacts of a criminal record, as well as grassroots and governmental efforts to mitigate those impacts has been growing. The Clean Slate Initiative (CSI) has been at the forefront of helping states across the United States adopt and advance policies to automatically clear all eligible criminal records across the United States.

In recognition of the need for individuals to clear their criminal records to truly have second chances, this panel (1) explores the barriers criminal records present, (2) highlights the work CSI has done and some of the states leading the way in clean slate policies, and (3) shares the impact of clean slate policies and practices from individuals who were able to clear their records.

Facilitated by Nicholas Read, Deputy Director of the National Reentry Resource Center, speakers for this Second Chance Month 2022 event include:

• Sheena Meade, Executive Director, and Erin George, National Campaigns Manager, Clean Slate Initiative
• Noella Sudbury, Executive Director, Clean Slate Utah
• Marlon Chamberlain, Fully Free Campaign Manager, Heartland Alliance (Illinois)
• Dan Hanneken, Founder and Executive Director, in2Action (Missouri)