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The ‘Clean Slate’ bill would let people move on from their mistakes.
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The ‘Clean Slate’ bill would let people move on from their mistakes.

Rebecca Vallas and Marc Levin explain how the Clean Slate Act, which is now before the Connecticut legislature, would help people move on from their mistakes and recover lost economic activity.

Imagine if your whole life was defined by a mistake. A lapse in judgment at 19 or 20 meant you couldn’t get a job, find a place to live or provide for your children at 40 or 50.

This is the unfortunate reality for many of the one in three Americans with a criminal record, because nearly nine in 10 employers, four in five landlords and three in five colleges conduct criminal background checks to screen applicants. Even a minor, long-ago infraction can turn into a life sentence to poverty.

The above excerpt was originally published in Hartford Courant. Click here to view the full article.

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Authors

Rebecca Vallas

Senior Fellow

Marc Levin