Pennsylvania has among the highest rates of incarceration in the world. There are more people today on probation and parole in Pennsylvania than there are people in the city of Pittsburgh. Nationwide, a past conviction history raises well over 40,000 barriers to employment, education, housing, loan borrowing, professional licensing, voting - not to mention going on school trips, coaching your child’s sports team, or even volunteering in the community.
The link between criminal histories and inter-generational poverty has never been more clear. The only way to get a conviction removed is by getting a pardon from the Governor – a very long and expensive process that, for the vast majority, has ended in failure. Until now.
Today, the Pennsylvania Board of Pardons is recommending over 80% of the pardon applications that they hear, and the Governor is signing 95% of them. Just filing a pardon application gives someone better than a 50-50 chance of success. The form is short, a lawyer is not needed, and the whole process is free. The major problem: no one knows.
This session will be presented by the Pennsylvania Pardon Project, a leader in Pennsylvania's pardon reform efforts since 2018. Executive Director Tobey Oxholm has trained Community Action Agencies, nonprofits, legal aid organizations, faith communities, and other partners across the state to help individuals navigate the pardon process and access meaningful second chances.
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