As the first state to implement the Clean Slate Law in 2018, Pennsylvania committed to sealing millions of criminal records. The law was enacted to remove educational and vocational disadvantages for people with eligible records, including those associated with certain misdemeanors and people found not guilty in court.

While the law cleared barriers to housing, education and employment for individuals across the state, it indirectly created new technological barriers for Philadelphia Lawyers for Social Equity (PLSE).

Since 2010, PLSE has worked toward more equitable outcomes for low-income individuals who have had contact with the Pennsylvania criminal justice system. A primary service that PLSE provides is aiding individuals in filing expungement petitions. Unlike the sealing of records, information eligible for expungement may be removed entirely. The process ensures that this information, including records of arrests that did not lead to a conviction, will no longer be seen by law enforcement agencies or employers who use FBI background checks.

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