On Saturday, a free criminal record-clearing clinic will take place in North Philadelphia. 

It will be hosted by Ceiba and organized in partnership with the Norris Square Community Alliance (NSCA), the Hispanic Bar Association of Pennsylvania (HBAPA), and the Defenders Association. 

To the partnering organizations, criminal record clearings are important as workforce development mechanisms that can help eligible individuals improve their prospects of obtaining higher-paying jobs.

Pennsylvania law allows old and minor convictions to be sealed and expungement of any charges that did not result in a conviction. It also allows summary-level convictions for people free of arrest or prosecution for 5 years following their summary conviction. 

“Clearing convictions allow people to rebuild their lives with stability, safety and dignity, while at the same time strengthening the economy of our neighborhoods,” a statement reads. 

This is especially true considering that criminal background screenings are routinely used among employers, landlords, and colleges. 

As those with criminal convictions are only half as likely as other applicants to get a call from an employer, criminal record clearing helps more job seekers find employment and, in turn, expand the Philadelphia workforce. 

The criminal record-clearing clinic at Ceiba is sponsored by The Promise, which is Philadelphia’s Poverty Action Fund powered by United Way of Greater Philadelphia and Southern New Jersey. 

The Promise is a city-wide coalition dedicated to reducing Philadelphia’s poverty rate and supporting an equitable economic recovery from the pandemic, by combining City funding and private donations to help low-income Philadelphians gain access to benefits and opportunities for upward mobility. 

In May 2022, The Promise held the city’s largest citywide record-clearing initiative, giving grants to 18 nonprofits to host record-clearing clinics in their respective communities around Philadelphia. 

Ceiba also previously partnered with the HBAPA, the Defenders Association, and La Guagua 47 to hold a free criminal record-clearing clinic at Taller Puertorriqueño in October; an event called, “La Fiesta de la Oportunidad.” 

The upcoming criminal record clearing clinic will take place Saturday, March 25, 2023, starting at 11 a.m. and until 2 p.m. at 174 Diamond Street in Philadelphia. 

To pre-register for the criminal record-clearing clinic, click here.

For more information about the clinic, you can contact Ceiba at (215) 634-7245 or email info@ceibaphiladelphia.org.