Record Clearing.
Long after their justice involvement ends, individuals with a history of arrest and/or criminal conviction face several restrictions that limit important opportunities, including those related to employment, education, military service, voting, and housing. To help prevent these negative impacts for individuals with a limited criminal history, the Pennsylvania legislature created a process and procedure for expungement, or the erasure of a formal arrest or conviction record.
However, the expungement process is not automatic—an individual seeking to expunge some or all of their criminal records must file a petition with the court of the county in which their arrest(s) or conviction(s) occurred. Additionally, the process is not simple, nor is it free; there are multiple steps of the process, many of which include fees (e.g., payment to obtain a copy of the criminal record, payment to file the petition with the court).
To facilitate individuals taking advantage of their expungement opportunities and increase employment access, United Way of Greater Philadelphia and Southern New Jersey (UWGPSNJ), in partnership with The Promise and The Knowledge Center (UWGPSNJ-affiliated organizations), is supporting the development and implementation of a city-wide Expungement Initiative, which will include approximately 30 expungement clinics operated by lawyers from multiple legal organizations at events hosted by community-based organizations in neighborhoods across Philadelphia.
However, the expungement process is not automatic—an individual seeking to expunge some or all of their criminal records must file a petition with the court of the county in which their arrest(s) or conviction(s) occurred. Additionally, the process is not simple, nor is it free; there are multiple steps of the process, many of which include fees (e.g., payment to obtain a copy of the criminal record, payment to file the petition with the court).
To facilitate individuals taking advantage of their expungement opportunities and increase employment access, United Way of Greater Philadelphia and Southern New Jersey (UWGPSNJ), in partnership with The Promise and The Knowledge Center (UWGPSNJ-affiliated organizations), is supporting the development and implementation of a city-wide Expungement Initiative, which will include approximately 30 expungement clinics operated by lawyers from multiple legal organizations at events hosted by community-based organizations in neighborhoods across Philadelphia.