NEW! Our One-of-Its-Kind Data Dashboard Estimates the Impact of Clean Slate Policies in Every State

When it comes to data about arrest and conviction records, there has always been one big, ironic gap: a lack of records. Since the beginning of record clearance efforts across the country, advocates, lawmakers, and stakeholders have struggled to pull together data that can illustrate policy impacts due to a lack of consistent record-keeping across states — especially data that can be broken down by different demographics. That’s why we’re thrilled to launch our one-of-a-kind data dashboard that provides state-specific data about records and the impacts of record clearance policies.

Based on our data model’s methodology, we’re able to estimate how many adults in America are impacted by a record, both in states and nationwide. The model is the first of its kind, giving researchers, lawmakers, advocates, and the public the ability to estimate the state-level impacts of Clean Slate laws broken down by race, ethnicity, sex, and types of records. The model uses state and federal data sources and applies recidivism, deportation, mortality, and inter-state mobility rates to ensure our estimates account for dynamic population trends. 

The CSI Data Dashboard is capable of much more than simply producing estimates. Users can examine proposed policies, visualize how waiting periods and eligibility requirements affect the impact, and identify opportunities to reduce existing racial inequities.

The interactive data dashboard provides visualizations of the scale of people with records in each state disaggregated by race, ethnicity, sex, and record type. It allows for in-depth analysis of how Clean Slate legislation can reshape the lives of millions, particularly highlighting racial and gender disparities. 

To help maximize usability, our dashboard includes a user guide and a list of frequently asked questions. And our inbox is always open: if you have questions or feedback, don’t hesitate to reach out to us at data@cleanslateinitiative.org.  

Our hope is that this dashboard becomes a go-to resource for partners, allies, researchers, lawmakers, stakeholders, and more. Anyone who’s interested in record clearance data can benefit from the information in our dashboard, and everyone is welcome to use it.

Data is more than numbers; it can be a blueprint for a better future. By harnessing its power, we equip advocates, lawmakers, and other policy stakeholders with information that can help bring more people a second chance.