Research

At CSI, we believe in second chances — and that belief resonates across the political spectrum. Our latest research brief, Bipartisan Support for Clean Slate Laws, offers compelling data on the widespread support for automatic record sealing among people who have received a Clean Slate. Learn more in this update from Dr. Laura Chavez, Director of Research & Data.

At CSI, research is more than just numbers — it’s a tool for transformation. Here’s a look at some of the research projects we tackled in 2024 and how they’re shaping the future of Clean Slate work. Learn more in this update from Dr. Laura Chavez, Director of Research & Data.

California’s Clean Slate law is a significant development in the national effort to provide automated record relief for millions of people who have records in America. Learn more in this blog post from CSI and California Policy Lab.

Stigma surrounding people with records can stick a scarlet letter on people long after they’ve paid their debt to society, which can add to the barriers people face when trying to build a better life. That’s why narrative change is a key part of CSI’s three-pronged strategy to fulfill our mission. Read more in this blog post by Stacey Ferguson, V.P. of Marketing & Communications.

Research conducted in partnership with CSI was recently published as a working paper titled, “Can you Erase the Mark of a Criminal Record? Labor Market Impacts of Criminal Record Remediation” by Amanda Agan (Rutgers University) and several colleagues. Learn more in this blog post from Dr. Laura Chavez and Dr. Amanda Agan.

The Clean Slate Initiative’s mission includes not only passing Clean Slate policies but also ensuring they are implemented so that automatic record clearance becomes a reality for millions of people in America. While clearing arrest and conviction records can include technical hurdles, those hurdles aren’t insurmountable — especially with the right people at the table.

We’re launching a one-of-its-kind data dashboard that provides state-specific data about records and the impacts of record clearance policies. Learn more in this blog post by Dr. Laura Chavez, Director of Research and Data.

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.

In partnership with the Clean Slate Initiative, SEARCH, The National Consortium for Justice Information and Statistics, conducted an analysis of record clearance policies in 11 states, and put their findings together in a report that outlines what’s working, what needs work, and where states can go from here.