TONIGHT! Have a Great Dinner, Learn about Collateral Consequences (event starts at 7pm) |
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Chef Kurt Evans cooks an authentic, three-course Thai meal (for take-out), and PLSE’s Founder Ryan Hancock – a leader in this field for over a decade – explains the devastating harms that criminal history records cause individuals, families and whole communities.
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Call to Action! Call the Governor!
Governor Defaults On His Duty, Lets 200 Pardons Languish On Desk
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Since February 2019, the Board of Pardons has done an amazing job in opening up the pardon process to more people, and cutting the processing time almost in half. They are receiving more applications, holding more hearings, and recommending more pardons – see below!
But all that energy apparently has not reached our Governor.
The Board’s website notes that the Governor still has not acted on 245 recommendations since 2019, and on August 17, the story finally made its way to the front page of the Harrisburg press; nearly 200 pardons languish on Pennsylvania Governor's desk. As of the date of this writing, the Governor still has not issued the pardons that the Board recommended to him last September, or last December, or last March.
If the Governor were still running his cabinet supply business, there’s no doubt that these orders would have been filled right away. And lives, not kitchens, are at stake here!
If you have a connection to the Governor, use it! If you don’t, call him: 717-787-2500. The message: it’s wrong to make good people wait like this. Urge him to work on the backlog until it’s gone, and then make signing pardons his personal priority each and every day!
Social Justice Requires Social Action!
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PBS NewsHour Focuses on Harms Caused by Criminal Record Histories |
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Those of us who watch PBS NewsHour always look forward to reports by economics correspondent Paul Solman. This month, he started a new series Searching for Justice, and his very first story focused on how, during the current economic collapse, small business owners with criminal records are haunted by their past. If you didn’t see it, you must! It’s here.
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BREAKING NEWS: September Pardon Hearing to be Exclusively Virtual |
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Because of the virus, the Board of Pardons will not be holding its September (1-4) hearings in person: everything will be on Zoom. The Board and everyone whom they have invited to speak (applicants, DAs, victims, etc.) will be given one link, allowing them to talk; the rest of us will be given a different link, which will allow us to watch and hear, but not be heard. For details, check the BOP website.
TIP OF THE MONTH:
If you are applying for a pardon (or helping someone get ready), be sure to watch! This is a terrific opportunity to learn how hearings are held, what the rules are, and what the Board members want to know. Watching others go through it can be the best way to learn how you can make the best presentation you can!
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Two Public Health Experts Elected to PLSE Board of Directors |
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Deepening our engagement with public health centers and the medical community, Dr. Ana Pujols McKee and Evan Figueroa-Vargas have been elected to PLSE’s Board of Directors.
Long-time Philadelphian and former chief medical officer for Penn Presbyterian Medical Center, Dr. McKee is today the CMO and associate executive director at The Joint Commission, which accredits and evaluates more than 22,000 health care programs and organizations nationally. Figueroa-Vargas has received recognition and awards for the service he has performed around Philadelphia for people in recovery, which he provides through the lens of his own experiences with addiction and the criminal justice system. Both hailing from Puerto Rico and fluent in Spanish, McKee and Figueroa-Vargas will help expand PLSE’s engagement with Philadelphia’s Latinx community.
“I believe criminal records are a key determinant of public health,” said McKee, "and one that the health profession can and must help address.” As for Figueroa-Vargas: “My career goal is to be part of the solution for Philadelphians struggling with substance use disorder and homelessness.”
PLSE is greatly honored to have these individuals join us. To read the full press release, click here.
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Board Grants Record Number of Hearings – Excuses More Than Half From Attending! |
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More and more people are applying for pardons, and the Board of Pardons is granting more and more pardons! In their August “Merit Review” meeting, the Board considered 166 cases and granted hearings to 146 – not just a new record in terms of numbers, but a record-breaking 88%!
But there’s more: the Board has notified 96 of the 146 that they don’t even need to attend! Those 96 received unanimous votes at the Merit Review, and only 3 votes are needed to be recommended to the Governor.
Kudos to the Members of the Board of Pardons! Making history with every meeting!!!
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While the Philadelphia Criminal Court was closed:
Almost 900 expungement petitions resolved by agreement
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The only way to get a criminal record cleaned up is to have a judge order it expunged (erased), and that requires a hearing when the District Attorney is given the opportunity to object. Covid-19 closed the Philadelphia Criminal Courts back in March, and it stayed closed until late July. That resulted in the cancellation of hearings on almost 1,000 expungement petitions, putting hundreds of clients’ lives on hold.
But thanks to a new program overseen by Liam Riley, Chief of the Pretrial Unit of the Philadelphia District Attorney’s Office (DAO), the DAO reviewed every one of the 956 petitions, and decided it had objections to only 64. As a result, the Court was advised that it could issue 892 expungement Orders by agreement, without having to reschedule or hold hearings on them – a tremendous savings in time and costs for the Court, the DAO, PLSE, and especially the clients.
This is the second major new program launched this year by the Philly DAO to help low-income Philadelphians clean up their records. You can read about the first new program here. We sincerely thank them for their partnership in this important effort!
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First Food, Now Art: InLiquid donates proceeds to PLSE |
Last month, several restaurants chose PLSE to demonstrate their support for racial and social justice. Now, InLiquid Art + Design is designating PLSE for a portion of its proceeds from its annual Art for the Cash Poor (AFTCP). Usually held in the summer, the event is now online. With the goal of connecting artists with collectors, both seasoned and new, all artwork is below $200. Purchasing art through InLiquid supports the region’s working artists and provides free public arts programming to over 25,000 children and adults each year. Thank you, InLiquid!
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Wonderful Words from a Supporter |
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It’s wonderful to receive contributions from out of the blue. It’s even better when they come with a note. Here’s one from this past month that is special to us:
“I am SO SO happy for the support and recognition you are receiving. You helped me clean up my criminal record several years ago even though it was a hugely challenging task. I am still a convicted felon and am still suffering from collateral damage even though my convictions were in 2005 and non-violent in nature. ...I am in the beginning stages of forming a Lifestyle Medicine- based health and wellness company that focuses on the health needs of recovering alcoholics/addicts and returning citizens (ex-offenders). Be and stay well.”
-Derrick M., MD CAADC
Moving ahead, giving back, and doing good. Great job, Derrick! We’re proud of you!
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Three Ways You Can Help:
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Contact Governor Wolf, 717-787-2500, and urge him to Make Pardons Your Priority!
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Sign up to be trained as a Pardon Coach! Our training programs are CLE-approved. Contact us: info@plsephilly.org
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Donate (of course!): www.paypal.com/paypalme/plsephilly
Stay energized, optimistic and healthy,
Tobey Oxholm
Executive Director
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Philadelphia Lawyers for Social Equity
1501 Cherry Street Philadelphia, PA 19102
(267) 519-5323
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