Alert
BOARD OF PARDONS UPDATE
At its June hearings, the Board of Pardons heard 169 applications for clemency and recommended 134 – meaning: pardon applicants continue to have an 8 -in-10 chance of getting recommended!
But it’s still taking WAY TOO LONG for good people to get their hearing. Click below to ask for better funding so the Board will hold more hearings!.
General
JULY 2025 NEWSLETTER
This summer, we’re asking supporters like you to connect with your local legislators and share why pardons — and second chances — matter.
Pardons
Pardon Me
The new documentary short Pardon Me is now on the road with screenings around the state.
What We Do
Mass incarceration has resulted in hundreds of thousands of Pennsylvanians having criminal records that hurt them, their families and neighborhoods for generations. We all should want to help our neighbors get the second chances they have earned, and we can! PLSE works to uplift communities most affected by social justice inequities by providing assistance to neighborhood organizations and individuals who feel that their criminal record is blocking them from jobs, careers, education, credit, housing and other opportunities.
Expungement Help
Criminal records are permanent unless a judge erases, or “expunges,” them – but this happens almost every day! In 2019, PLSE obtained over 3000 Court Orders for its clients, with a success rate of over 98%! PLSE’s Criminal Records Expungement Project provides free legal services to low-income individuals with criminal charges in Philadelphia County only, and helps connect to resources that can help in other places.
Pardons Help
For people not yet 70 years old, the only way to get a conviction erased from your record is by a pardon from the Governor – and thanks to reforms championed by PLSE, YOU could have better than a 50-50 chance of getting one if you’ve turned your life around! PLSE’s Pardon Project provides free information, advice and representation to qualifying individuals, and is creating a network of “Pardon Hubs” throughout Philadelphia where you can get information and help. And on this website, you can watch videos from people who have gone through the process.
Education & Training
PLSE offers trainings for volunteers and workshops about criminal records, expungements and pardons, and related issues like employment rights, voting rights, housing and credit. These trainings can be requested for community organizations and service providers. While “social distancing” has postponed most of our community events, we are putting lots of our programs on this website.
Fair Employment
PLSE’s Fair Employment Opportunities Project provides advice and representation to people who have been denied jobs or promotions or otherwise been treated unfairly at work because of their criminal records. PLSE also teaches employers what their rights and duties are, on how to avoid liability, helps employees clear their criminal records, and conducts fair employment HR reviews.
EXPUNGEMENT PROJECT
Get Help From PLSE Online!
Because of COVID-19, PLSE has temporarily suspended in-person intake clinics in Philadelphia’s neighborhoods. But don’t worry: You can now start working towards getting a clean criminal record here on the PLSE website.
Philadelphia Lawyers for Social Equity is registered with the Internal Revenue Service as a 501(c)(3) organization. PLSE is only soliciting donations from residents of PA. All contributions are tax deductible. PLSE’s Tax ID number is: 45-2980014