Dear Friends,
Over the past few years we have come together as a congregation to learn more about the injustices of the criminal justice system in Pennsylvania. Join us on MLK to continue that work and learn about a very practical, accessible way that you can be part of the solution. Come to the Pardons in Pennsylvania Workshop on Monday, January 18th, from 12-12:55 pm via Zoom. Bonus for attorneys – 1 CLE Credit hour is available. See the description below and please share the attached flyer with friends and neighbors. Registration information will be coming soon!
FREE CLEs Available to Pennsylvania Attorneys
January 18, 2021
12:00 – 12:55 via Zoom
PARDONS IN PENNSYLVANIA:
Understanding the problem, Being part of the solution
Forgiveness does not mean ignoring what has been done or putting a false label on an evil act. It means, rather, that the evil act no longer remains as a barrier to the relationship. Forgiveness is a catalyst creating the atmosphere necessary for a fresh start and a new beginning.
~ Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. (December 1957)
Pennsylvania is the poster child for mass incarceration. We’ve long been at the top of the national list for the numbers of people incarcerated, and there are more people on probation and parole than there are living in Pittsburgh. Criminal records are permanent, and they are available 24/7/365 over the internet. With 87% of employers, 80% of landlords, and 100% of state universities checking as part of the application process, those records are used every day to deny jobs, housing, credit, education, and other opportunities for which people are qualified, keeping individuals and their families in poverty for generations.
But it’s even worse than that: people with convictions in their past are not allowed to accompany their children on field trips or coach their teams, or serve as foster parents for their nieces or nephews. In almost every facet of life, they have to “check the box” and identify themselves as criminals, no matter how long ago their crime, not matter what they have done to atone for it.
That’s the bad news. The good news is that, thanks to the leadership of Lt. Governor Fetterman and Attorney General Shapiro, Pennsylvania leads the country in pardon reform. It is easy (and free) to apply, and over 60% of those who apply end up with a pardon – forgiveness from the state for their crimes, and “a fresh start and a new beginning” for themselves and their families.
What’s needed are people who understand what the application form means and requires, and are willing to “coach” others in how to write the best pardon application they can. You do not need to be a lawyer to be a Coach: anyone can help. Plan to attend this short and empowering program on how to become a Pardon Coach. It will be presented by Tobey Oxholm, Executive Director of Philadelphia Lawyers for Social Equity and founder of the statewide Pardon Project.
Pennsylvania attorneys are eligible for 1 CLE
In preparation for this program, please watch this short video: People Change
Also consider watching the full-length movie, 13th (about the 13th Amendment, which we were taught ended slavery).
B’Shalom,
Leslie
