Clean Slate Rhode Island
An estimated 282,000 Rhode Islanders — or 1 in 3 adults — have some form of criminal record.
Building a clean slate case for rhode island
Rhode Island businesses face a tight labor market, with only 85 available workers for every 100 jobs. Clean Slate can get ready-to-work talent off the sidelines
The U.S. loses up to $87 billion in GDP every year due to the underemployment of formerly incarcerated individuals
Stable employment reduces recidivism — cutting costs for the state and making communities safer to live and do business
Clean Slate does not apply to violent crimes: Serious crimes of violence, sex offenses, and crimes against children remain permanently public
Does not erase records: Records are removed from public view but remain accessible to law enforcement and courts
Does not restore gun rights
Clean Slate National
Clean Slate Rhode Island is a partner of the Clean Slate Initiative, a national campaign working to pass automated expungement laws in all 50 states. To date, 13 states and Washington, DC, have passed Clean Slate laws, making more than 18 million people eligible for full or partial record sealing across America. Clean Slate isn’t about erasing the past. It’s about ensuring people who’ve completed their sentence and remained crime-free aren’t permanently held back by it.
Clean Slate by the numbers
Explore the data behind the Clean Slate movement across the country. Through insights and research from our national partners at the Clean Slate Initiative, we can better understand the impact of record-clearing policies, track progress across states, and see how Rhode Island fits into the nationwide effort to expand opportunities and create a fairer path forward for people with criminal records.