Updates from CSI

The stories below highlight a few directly impacted people who are involved in Clean Slate work across the country. Take a few moments to read through their stories and learn more about the impact of redemption… because it’s about much #MoreThanSecondChances.

To truly become people-centric, government agencies, organizations, and employers must humanize the hiring process. This means reflecting on the barriers faced by many and taking actionable steps to dismantle these obstacles. Policy changes are a start, but the real test is in their implementation. Learn more in this blog post from Sha Shikhmuradova, CSI’s Director of Talent and Culture.

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.

On Friday, March 29, President Biden issued a proclamation declaring April 2024 as Second Chance Month. This year’s proclamation comes after CSI’s team has been in direct contact with the White House, advocating for Clean Slate at the federal level. Learn more in this blog post by Reginald Darby, Federal Legislative Director.

As part of CSI’s ongoing recognition of WHM, we hosted a webinar titled "Celebrating Women's History Month: Trailblazers and Triumphs." The webinar allowed me to facilitate a pivotal discussion surrounding the legal system reform and solutions provided by automatic record clearance. Learn more and tune in to the webinar in this blog post by Sheena Meade, CEO.

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.

The Clean Slate Initiative (CSI) continues to advance Clean Slate at the federal level in 2024 — and part of our strategy for that advancement is relationship building on the Hill. Learn more in this blog post by Reginald Darby, Federal Legislative Director.

Today is International Women’s Day, an annual moment to deeply reflect on women's contributions to shaping our lives, communities, and country. There is no limit to the number of women who have contributed to reforming our nation’s legal system, and we’ve highlighted a handful in this blog post from Sheena Meade, CEO.

At the end of January, the Maryland Clean Slate Act of 2024 was introduced in both chambers with bipartisan support and strong legislative champions. Learn more in this update from Ryan Ewing, Campaign Strategist.

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.

January is National Poverty Awareness Month, a time dedicated to shining the light on those living in poverty and how our society can help identify solutions that could break the poverty cycle. Clean Slate policies offer a tangible solution to break this cycle. Read more in this blog post by Reginald Darby, CSI Federal Legislative Director.

Connecticut’s Clean Slate law, signed by Governor Ned Lamont in 2021, was initially slated to go into effect last year but faced unexpected delays that caused the full implementation to be pushed to 2024. Learn more in this update by Caitlin Dunklee, CSI Campaign Strategist.