The Clean Slate Initiative

About The Clean Slate Initiative

Founded in 2019, the Clean Slate Initiative (CSI) is a national bipartisan organization advancing policies to automate and expand eligibility for record clearance. One in three Americans lives with a past arrest or conviction record that limits their ability to find work, continue their education, obtain a professional license, or fully participate in family and civic life.

The Clean Slate Initiative’s vision is that people will no longer be defined by their records and will have the opportunity to contribute to their community, have a fair opportunity to work, get an education, and achieve their full potential. The Clean Slate Initiative passes and implements laws that automatically clear eligible records for people who have completed their sentence and remained crime-free, and expand who is eligible for clearance. To date, twelve states have passed Clean Slate laws impacting more than 15 million people. The Clean State Initiative works with bipartisan leaders and organizations and offers our expertise on what works: intelligent policy design, an eye toward implementation, and campaign strategies that center lived experience. Along the way, we work to redefine the narrative around people with records, cutting through the bias and stigma, to reorient the legal system to live up to the ideals of second chances. Learn more about our work here.