Pennsylvania Clean Slate Video Wins Two National Awards

More than 1.2 Million Pennsylvanians Have Received a Second Chance Under Groundbreaking 2018 Law as Legislature Considers Expansion

(Harrisburg, PA) – A longform video featuring Representatives Sheryl Delozier (R-Cumberland) and Jordan Harris (D-Philadelphia) has won two Reed Awards this week. The video was produced by Content Creative Media on behalf of the Justice Action Network (JAN), and elevates Pennsylvania’s leadership on providing second chances to returning citizens through the use of automatic expungement provisions while advocating for an expansion of the state’s existing automatic expungement framework.

Pennsylvania is the birthplace of automatic expungement laws commonly known as Clean Slate. The state passed the nation’s first Clean Slate package in 2018. Nine other states have since passed their own version of automatic expungement. Some of those laws have since bypassed Pennsylvania’s, such as Michigan’s 2020 version which included some low-level, nonviolent felonies.

A bipartisan group of legislators, including Rep. Delozier and Rep. Harris have joined advocacy organizations including JAN to call for expansion of Pennsylvania’s law so that the state will once again lead the nation in providing second chances to people who have done their time and turned their lives around after involvement with the justice system. More than 1.2 million people have been helped by Pennsylvania’s initial Clean Slate legislation.

“We’re elated to see Clean Slate work recognized on a national stage,” said JAN Executive Director Jenna Bottler, “Pennsylvania led the nation in 2018 when lawmakers passed the first-ever Clean Slate law. This award-winning campaign is calling on the current legislature to lead the way again. True second chances make our communities safer and our economy stronger. It’s time for Pennsylvania to show the rest of the nation how it’s done - again!”

JAN is the nation’s largest bipartisan criminal justice reform organization working at both the state and federal levels to pass evidence-based reforms that increase public safety, reduce crime, and boost the economy.