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The Visions of Justice Conference held last week brought together over 80 attendees to discuss the struggles that individuals face during reentry to society. The conference featured panelists who shared their personal stories, including Josie Haile and John Schmidt, reminding us all that our lives can change in an instant. Through perseverance and support, it is possible to overcome any obstacles. Participants also experienced a Reentry Simulation that highlighted the challenges faced by individuals trying to reintegrate into society after being incarcerated. The conference also covered important topics such as Clean Slate implementation and the impact on the justice-impacted community.

One of the most powerful experiences for participants was the Reentry Simulation facilitated by the United States Attorney’s Office of Eastern Pennsylvania and PAR-Recycle Works. The simulation demonstrated the challenges that individuals face after being released from incarceration, including difficulties accessing housing, transportation, and employment opportunities. It provided a unique perspective and reinforced the need for more support and resources for individuals during the reentry process.

The following panel, moderated by John Reynolds from the ACLU of Delaware, discussed Clean Slate implementation and its positive economic impact on the justice-impacted community. Panelists Ryan Ewing from the Clean Slate Initiative, Haneef Salaam, and Anthony Stanziale from the Delaware Center for Justice provided valuable insights into the challenges faced by individuals with criminal records and the opportunities provided by Clean Slate legislation. Clean Slate is a law that allows for the automatic expungement of certain criminal records, giving individuals a second chance at life through a clean slate, increased job opportunities, and access to housing and educational opportunities.

The conference continued with a keynote address by Dr. Yasser Payne, who focused on the aging incarcerated population. Dr. Payne spoke about the need to provide support and resources for individuals who are serving long-term sentences and the struggles they face as they age. Dr. Payne highlighted the need for more compassionate release programs, prison hospice care, and reentry support for aging individuals returning to society.

The Visions of Justice Conference highlighted the struggles faced by the justice-impacted community and the need for reform in legislation to provide support and resources to those transitioning back to society. The conference demonstrated that through collaboration and perseverance, it is possible to overcome any obstacle. The conference provided valuable insights into the efforts to improve Clean Slate legislation, providing a pathway towards economic stability for those with criminal records. The keynote speaker illustrated the need for more compassionate release programs for aging individuals affected by long-term incarceration.

Visions of Justice Conference allowed legal professionals and activists to come together to share important information and insights on crucial topics. One such highlight was Eliza Hirst’s presentation on the collateral consequences of juvenile records, which left a lasting impact on attendees. The final panel was moderated by DCJ’s Policy Director, Kailyn Richards, and featured a stimulating discussion with New Castle County Executive, Matt Meyer, Misty Seemans, Esq., Office of Defense Services, and Vonderlear Smack, of ALCU of Delaware. This panel brought attention to the sobering statistics of police misconduct and how understanding the new Law Enforcement Officer’s Bill of Rights (LEOBOR) can lead to new legislation that will make law enforcement more accountable and transparent. By bringing together powerful voices in the legal field, Visions of Justice Conference equipped participants with the information to combat injustice.

To learn more about Delaware’s Clean Slate law, find expungement assistance, and other resources, visit Clean Slate Delaware’s automated expungement hub, CleanSlateDE.org.

The Visions of Justice Conference was an essential event bringing together individuals and organizations working for the betterment of the justice-impacted community. The conference highlighted the need for compassionate and supportive legislation and programs to help individuals overcome the obstacles and challenges they face during reentry to society. The conference provided valuable insights into Clean Slate implementation and the positive impact it will have on the justice-impacted community. Through collaboration and continued efforts, we can help individuals overcome the challenges they face and provide a pathway towards a second chance at life.

The Delaware Center for Justice (DCJ) supports HS 1 for House Bill 205 and House Bill 206 as a small first step in the right direction to increasing police transparency and accountability. With that being said, we fully acknowledge that HS 1 for HB 205 and HB 206 do not address all the communities’ concerns about the Law Enforcement Officer Bill of Rights (LEOBOR) and with policing in general, and for that we empathize with the families affected by the shortcomings of this legislation. It was clear after numerous conversations with lawmakers that this legislation has the support needed to pass and therefore, we must focus on moving forward.

To that end, we plan to advocate for a statewide police file retention policy and additional access to records not included in these bills. We will also fight for community appointments to the Council on Police Training (COPT), as well as the establishment of robust Civilian Review Boards (CRBs) to ensure that the community is centered in the response to police misconduct.

We urge members of the General Assembly to view HS 1 for HB 205 and HB 206 as a starting point to police reform, and therefore, the work must not end here. The Delaware Center for Justice looks forward to implementation, analyzing the data, and working with legislators on future police reform efforts.

In solidarity,

Dave Bever

Executive Director

Delaware Center for Justice

Blog Post Contributed by John Reynolds, ACLU-DE Clean Slate Delaware Campaign Manager

Delaware’s Clean Slate Act will take effect in August 2024, but for people living with a record in Delaware, that implementation can’t come soon enough. That’s why Clean Slate DE held its first Lobby Day on April 4, 2023, to educate lawmakers on the necessary reforms to make the 2024 implementation successful, accessible, and equitable.

Community advocates, directly impacted leaders, and Clean Slate DE partners, including the ACLU of Delaware, Delaware Center for Justice, and the Clean Slate Initiative, met with state legislators at Legislative Hall in Dover. We’re incredibly proud of the work these dedicated individuals did in bringing our key campaign issues to lawmakers’ attention. Advocates held group meetings with state senators and representatives regarding two campaign priorities: the successful implementation of the state’s automated record sealing law and ensuring all cases that do not include a conviction are eligible for automated expungement.  

Successful implementation means eliminating the barriers that fines and fees present to the expungement process. Despite being among the first states to pass Clean Slate legislation, we’re the only “Clean Slate” state that limits eligibility for record clearance due to outstanding fines and fees. Living with a record can make financial barriers hard to overcome. Fines and fees related to a person’s record often go unpaid because people cannot access stable employment, housing, and opportunities for advancement due to their record. 

Allowing individuals to clear their records regardless of what they owe is a common-sense solution to increase financial stability for Delawareans and help people pay their outstanding fines and fees. Delaware’s reputation as the “First State” should motivate us to set a forward-thinking example: bringing Delaware in line with known best practices will encourage all future states to tackle fines and fees when passing initial Clean Slate laws.

Lobbying groups also addressed the issue of non-conviction records. A substantial number of people with records in Delaware have records for non-convictions only, which means after their arrest, the person was either never charged or never convicted of a crime in that case — but they’re still saddled with the consequences of a record. A Delaware non-conviction record, just like a conviction record, remains publicly available and will appear on background checks unless it is expunged. 

All cases that do not include a conviction should be eligible for the automated expungement process, including Delawareans serving a period of incarceration, probation, or parole. Currently, no one on probation or parole is eligible for any form of expungement, including for separate cases that did not result in a conviction. People should never be punished for cases decided in their favor, and records that never led to a conviction shouldn’t hinder anyone’s livelihood. 

Over the course of the day, 45 advocates met with over 20 legislators seeking their commitment to support and act on these priorities. In addition to being prepped with pre-lobby training and talking point resources, many of the directly impacted advocates had received prior storytelling training. This enabled them to effectively communicate their experiences in the most impactful way possible when speaking to legislators.

The lobby day was received well by legislators across both parties, energizing advocates and lawmakers to work together toward a successful Clean Slate implementation in 2024. 

Clean Slate efforts don’t end at the passage of the initial legislation, and that’s why this lobbying event was so important. The campaign and community must continue to engage legislators to navigate the complicated implementation process and ensure the law has its intended impact. Records are a substantial barrier to many life-sustaining goals, like finding a place to live and a good job. We must work together to ensure that Clean Slate’s implementation is as smooth as possible for the Delawareans who need that relief — and paves a path for other states to successfully implement their own Clean Slate policies.

Ahead of Second Chances Month, Clean Slate Delaware hosted a two-part storytelling training to elevate the stories of impacted voices during the upcoming CSDE Lobby Day on Tuesday, April 4th at Legislative Hall in Dover.

Currently, up to 400,000 people who have a record in Delaware live with limited access to jobs, housing, education, starting a business, or participating fully in social and civic community life. Behind every single one of those 400,000 records is a story. 

Last month, I was invited to participate in a Clean Slate Delaware (CSDE) Campaign storytelling training. This two-part series aimed to help impacted individuals like myself gain the tools to effectively share our first-hand experiences living with a record, and use those experiences to impact positive policy change that offers true second chances for Delawareans. 

Unfortunately, living with a record means many impacted individuals don’t always have the time or transportation to attend valuable events such as this. However, CSDE Campaign partners worked hard to ensure participants schedules were accommodated, and virtual attendance options were available for those unable to be physically present. It was encouraging to see several men that I had served time with be able to attend and participate. Being in a room of individuals with shared experiences provides connection and comfort that can be difficult for so many to find during the reentry process. 

Throughout the training, we dived into the power of storytelling, and how our stories can have real and persuasive influence on audiences- particularly, elected officials. The facilitators were very engaging, constantly encouraging interaction and feedback between participants and CSDE Campaign leaders. Seeing storytelling strategies modeled not only helped enhance our understanding, but allowed us to really feel the increased impact and connection that comes with telling stories for rather than to an audience. 

At the end of the training, we were given the opportunity to share our personal stories in small groups and receive feedback from our fellow participants. I could already begin to feel the difference in my storytelling skills as I spoke with greater confidence, intention, and awareness of my story’s purpose. I made conscious efforts to incorporate strategies like creating detailed visual imagery for my audience. It felt liberating to not only tell my own story, but to know that I was lending a listening ear that allowed others to have a similar experience.

As Second Chances Month nears, I am eager to use my new storytelling skills to engage legislators during the Clean Slate Delaware Lobby Day on April 4. Our stories prove the critical need for elected officials to support reforms that will expand expungement eligibility and accessibility.  If you are passionate about joining the fight for second chances for Delawareans like myself, I encourage you to attend. 

Everyone deserves a second chance.

Learn more about the Clean Slate Delaware Lobby Day

For questions, please contact Clean Slate Delaware Manager, John Reynolds, at jreynolds@aclu-de.org.