This Halloween, Let’s Recognize that Second Chances Aren’t Scary
Blog Post by Chelsea Murphy, Campaign Strategist
It might be spooky season, but automatic record sealing isn’t a scary topic.
For people living with a record, there are legitimate concerns to consider while working to rebuild our lives after an arrest or conviction. Potential rejection from housing, employment, or education opportunities are all fears that come up when you live with a record. And those things can be scary — but the opportunity to break beyond those barriers with a second chance? That’s not scary at all.
Offering automatic record sealing through Clean Slate policies to people who have eligible records is a common-sense policy that’s picking up steam across America. To date, twelve states have passed Clean Slate laws, paving a path for 6 million people to receive full or partial record clearance in those states. There’s no reason to fear that kind of large-scale record relief. It benefits individuals with records, and it also benefits our communities.
Clean Slate policies help keep our communities safe by reducing recidivism and empowering people to contribute to their communities. Offering a second chance through automatic record sealing increases public safety by addressing the issues that do lead to crime, such as poverty and a lack of access to resources — people are much less likely to commit crimes if they are able to get a job, afford decent housing, get an education, and take care of their families. Once individuals have been crime-free for a few years, they have reached what researchers call the "point of redemption," meaning the person is no more likely than anyone in the general population to commit a crime. Our communities deserve both safety and second chances, not fear and stigma.
Beyond record clearance, one way we can help make living with a record less daunting is by reducing the stigma of living with a record. Things like inmate costumes further stigmatize people who have been involved in the justice system, so while we’re considering our next great Halloween costume, we can do our part by choosing something else.