The Clean Slate Initiative

The research is clear: awareness matters after records are sealed.

A recent study, “Automating Administrative Burden in Algorithmic Criminal Record Expungement,” published in Law & Society Review, dialed in on the barriers to record sealing for traditional petition-based systems, how automation can help make second chances more accessible, and why automation must be paired with awareness.

Automation opens the door, but awareness helps people walk through it. At The Clean Slate Initiative, this is exactly where the work is focused: ensuring that strong policies are paired with strong implementation, so people can fully benefit from the second chance they’ve earned.

Source: Lageson, Adams & Chen, Law & Society Review

Read the full study: https://www.cleanslateinitiative.org/updates/unlocking-the-full-promise-of-clean-slate-new-research-on-automation-and-opportunity

Clean Slate Replay 2025: Narrative Change

In 2025, we completed a two-year narrative research project with Goodwin Simon Strategic Research, using their Heartwired approach.

That learning reshaped how we talk about — shifting from explaining laws to building human understanding.

Learn more about the impact of narrative change in our 2025 Annual Report: https://www.cleanslateinitiative.org/documents/2025-annual-report

In a recent Brookings op-ed, Keesha Middlemass explores proven strategies to reduce recidivism and support successful transitions — and how policies are a critical step toward justice reform and a purposeful embrace of second chances.

Clean Slate policies allow eligible individuals to move forward without the weight of red tape and ostracization, while sealing the past and opening doors to opportunity.

Read the full piece: https://www.cleanslateinitiative.org/in-the-news/clean-slate-laws-boost-the-economy-and-public-safety