PHILADELPHIA LAWYERS FOR SOCIAL EQUITY

Criminal Records Expungement Project - Employers landlords financial and academic institutions professional associations licensing boards and others frequently use past criminal record histories to deny opportunities to qualified applicants. This happens even when the event occurred decades earlier or did not result in a conviction. This prevents many qualified individuals from achieving financial and social stability and negatively affects their families and communities. This is especially true for low-income individuals. In Pennsylvania only judges can expunge delete or seal remove from the public record criminal record information and many individuals cannot afford an attorney to assist with a process to which they are legally entitled. The Criminal Record Expungement Project addresses this inequality by providing pro bono legal assistance to low-income Philadelphians with criminal records. In FY2024 PLSE assisted 1,901 low-income individuals from 152 different zip codes including all 47 residential zip codes in Philadelphia. We primarily use a community-based clinic model to engage new clients. We provided brief service information or referral and for those not income eligible for 660 people. And of the 1,901 people who came to us 1,241 became new clients. We filed a total of 7,329 expungement petitions. Approximately 96% of all such petitions are granted by the Court.

Pardon Project - With few exceptions expunging a conviction first requires a pardon from the Governor. PLSE began the Pardon Project in 2018 when the process took 5 years cost money and resulted in failure for over 90% of all applicants. Today thanks to reforms driven by PLSE the application is free online and written mostly in Plain English. Not only does PLSE help its Philadelphia clients who qualify apply for a pardon - 1,987 new Pardon clients in Fiscal Year alone - but it has created a vibrant network the Pennsylvania Association of Pardon Projects www.PardonMePA.org connecting communities of volunteers all around the state for which PLSE serves as the convenor and information hub. Its Pardon Project Steering Committee all with lived experience in the criminal justice system has grown with the network and is preparing for the launch of the film Pardon Me in Fiscal Year 2024. All participants completing an intake for the Criminal Record Expungement Project are also screened for pardon eligibility.