Research Recap: CSI’s Findings from 2024

At The Clean Slate Initiative (CSI), research is more than just numbers — it’s a tool for transformation. It helps us turn advocacy into action, craft evidence-based solutions, and provide a blueprint for a brighter future. It also holds us accountable for achieving the outcomes we strive for, and gives us necessary information to improve and prioritize as the Clean Slate work grows. 

With research and data analysis at the heart of our work, we equip advocates, stakeholders, and policymakers with the insights they need to create more opportunities for second chances.

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.

CSI’s Data Methodology: A First-of-Its-Kind Model

How many adults in America are living with an arrest or conviction record in each state in the country? Our groundbreaking data model is the first to answer that question with precision.

Using state-level data, we estimate the number of people impacted by records across the U.S., breaking down the data by race, ethnicity, sex, and record type. Our methodology also accounts for population trends like recidivism, mortality, deportation, and inter-state mobility.

What does this mean for Clean Slate? Our model allows us to:

• Measure the real-world impacts of Clean Slate policies;

• Assess waiting periods and eligibility criteria; and

• Examine racial equity outcomes.

Learn more about our methodology at cleanslateinitiative.org/data-methodology.

CSI’s Data Dashboard: Filling the Gaps

When it comes to arrest and conviction records, there has always been one big, ironic gap: a lack of records. Advocates, lawmakers, and stakeholders have long struggled to access reliable, state-specific insights — especially data broken down by demographics.

Enter CSI’s Data Dashboard: a one-of-a-kind tool offering population estimates of people impacted by arrest or conviction records across the U.S. The dashboard provides state-specific data, including demographic breakdowns by race, ethnicity, and sex, and tracks trends over time.

Why is this a game-changer? This tool not only supports policymakers and advocates but also helps illuminate the far-reaching impacts of record sealing policies.

Explore the dashboard at cleanslateinitiative.org/data.

Research Spotlight: Who Benefits from Automatic Record Relief in California? 

In July 2022, California began implementing automatic record relief laws. To evaluate their impact, CSI partnered with the California Policy Lab at UC Berkeley to analyze data from the California Department of Justice

Here’s what we discovered:

• Nearly 90% of Californians with a conviction between 2010 and 2021 are estimated to be eligible for automatic record relief. 

• Despite the widespread eligibility, Black Californians are underrepresented among those who will receive a full Clean Slate as a result of automatic record relief. 

• Women disproportionately benefit from Clean Slate in California.

• Most individuals who receive a Clean Slate will likely maintain it for at least five years.

What’s the takeaway? While automatic record relief is a powerful tool, equity remains a critical focus for improvement.

Read the full report at cleanslateinitiative.org/research-data-publications. 

Research Spotlight: The Impacts of Clean Slate Laws in Pennsylvania, Utah, and Michigan

What’s the impact of Clean Slate policies? To find out, we commissioned a survey in three states — Pennsylvania, Utah, and Michigan — that have implemented these policies. Partnering with Dr. Nyron Crawford at Temple University, we aimed to gauge the impact that having a record has had on people’s lives, their awareness of Clean Slate laws, their eligibility for record sealing, and the impacts they have experienced thus far from their state’s Clean Slate law.

Here’s what we learned:

• People with records face major barriers to employment, housing, education, access to public assistance, and paying rent or bills.

• Petition-based record relief is difficult to access and confusing to navigate.

• People who know their records have been sealed through an automated system report improvements, especially in employment, family relationships, and mental health.

• Many people with records, who may be eligible for sealing, did not know about Clean Slate.

• Most people with records support Clean Slate legislation and believe it can improve their lives.

Why does this matter? These findings emphasize the need for outreach, education, and continued advocacy to ensure Clean Slate policies reach the people who need them most.

Read the full report at cleanslateinitiative.org/research-data-publications.

With each new research project, we’re creating a stronger foundation for Clean Slate laws and a justice system that works for everyone. Every data point tells a story — and we can’t wait to write the next chapter.