New art installation on Independence Mall highlights need for "Clean Slate" legislation
The installation from JPMorgan Chase coincides with Second Chance Month. A new art installation, "Waiting Workforce," by artist the Glue Society, is being unveiled at Independence Mall in New York. The installation features 38 statues of expungement paperwork, representing the number of U.S. states that have not passed "clean slate" legislation, which allows people to seal some criminal records to help them access employment, education, and housing. Pennsylvania became the first state in the nation to pass such a bill in 2018, which automatically seals some low-level, nonviolent conviction records from public disclosure after 10 years. Over 45 million cases have been sealed since 2019.
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A new art installation highlighting the barriers to workforce reentry faced by those with past criminal convictions is being unveiled today at Independence Mall.
Why it matters: The installation from JPMorgan Chase coincides with Second Chance Month.
Driving the news: "Waiting Workforce" from artist the Glue Society, which features 38 statues of expungement paperwork housed within a glass enclosure, is on the mall along Arch Street between 5th and 6th streets.
• The statues represent the number of U.S. states that haven't passed so-called "clean slate" legislation, which helps people seal some criminal records to help them access employment, education and housing.
• 1 cool thing: In 2018, Pennsylvania became the first state in the nation to pass such a bill, automatically sealing some low-level, nonviolent conviction records from public disclosure after 10 years.
• Plus: The state has expanded the program, including last year to include sealing certain felony records and reducing some wait times.
• More than 45 million cases have been sealed since 2019.
The big picture: 1 in 3 Americans has a criminal record like an arrest, which never led to a conviction, that would appear on a background check for housing or employment, per the Clean Slate Initiative.
☝️ If you go: The installation will remain at Independence Mall through the end of the month.