“We're building a pathway so that automatic record clearance is a reality in all 50 states that will unlock second chances for an additional 14 million people.”
Sheena Meade, CEO of The Clean Slate Initiative
April 11th is Clean Slate Day in Michigan, and for Elvina Smith, it’s a day of profound significance.
Elvina's story highlights the power of Michigan's Clean Slate automated record sealing policies, which have provided a pathway for her to move forward with a true second chance.
Our CEO, Sheena Meade, stresses the importance of continuing the fight for Clean Slate legislation.
Each weekday morning, "CBS Mornings" brings viewers the latest breaking news, smart conversation, and in-depth feature reporting — and on October 23, they invited our CEO, Sheena Meade, to join the broadcast.
In recognition of Second Chance Month, we ask: should everyone get a chance at a clean slate? Sheena Meade, CEO of the Clean Slate Initiative, an organization working to get all 50 states to offer automatic record clearance, joins The Excerpt to discuss the ramifications of living with a criminal record.
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.
In these extremely politically polarized times, one of the rare issues that often garners bipartisan support is criminal justice reform. Twelve states have passed “clean slate” laws that automatically clear criminal records nationwide for people who have completed their sentences and remained crime-free. Leading the effort to pass more such laws is The Clean Slate Initiative’s Sheena Meade.
CEO of The Clean Slate Initiative. Sheena Meade, reacts to New York’s governor signing Clean Slate Act into law, sealing more than 2 million people’s criminal records.
New York Will Give a ‘Clean Slate’ to Formerly Incarcerated People
Gov. Kathy Hochul signed legislation that could make as many as two million people eligible to have their criminal records sealed.
The New York State House and Assembly have passed A1029C, the New York Clean Slate Act, sending the measure to Governor Kathy Hochul for signature.
Many ‘clean slate’ programs automatically seal arrest and conviction records after people have completed their sentences and remained crime-free.
Sheena Meade describes the necessity to care about second chances for people living with records.
