A criminal record can create lifelong barriers, limiting access to jobs, housing, education, and stability. These barriers don’t just affect individuals. They affect entire families and communities.
In 2021, United Way of Greater Philadelphia and Southern New Jersey partnered with the City of Philadelphia to launch The Promise, an innovative public-private initiative designed to reduce poverty and expand opportunity. While record clearing was not the original focus of The Promise, the need quickly became clear: There are 300k Philadelphians living with criminal records that continue to limit their economic mobility long after court involvement ends. Addressing these barriers emerged as a critical strategy for advancing opportunity.
Removing Barriers to Opportunity
Research shows that criminal records restrict access to employment, housing, healthcare, education, and civic participation, contributing to long-term instability and intergenerational poverty. Expanding access to record clearing helps remove these barriers and opens pathways to economic security.
To better understand the long-term impact of this work, an independent evaluation led by Drexel University's Juvenile Justice Research and Reform Lab examined outcomes over time, including employment, housing stability, and system involvement. Click here to read the full report.
Three Years of Record Clearing Clinics
From 2022 through 2025, The Promise's Jobs & Opportunities Challenge supported partnerships among 24 community-based organizations and three legal partners to host free record clearing clinics across Philadelphia. These clinics brought legal support directly into neighborhoods, meeting people where they were.
Over three years:
- 76 clinics were held across the city
- 11,560 people attended community events with record clearing clinics
- 3,645 individuals met one-on-one with legal representatives
- Nearly 70% of clinic participants moved forward with some form of record clearing, with most pursuing both expungement and pardon
The clinics reached residents across nearly every Philadelphia ZIP code and served individuals whose arrest histories often dated back decades – sometimes more than 50 years – underscoring the long-lasting impact of unresolved records.
A Collaborative Path Forward
The Promise's record clearing work demonstrates what's possible when community organizations, legal advocates, philanthropy, and local government come together to address systemic barriers. By pairing trusted community partners with accessible legal support, this initiative helped thousands of Philadelphians take meaningful steps toward opportunity and stability.
United Way of Greater Philadelphia and Southern New Jersey is proud to have supported this work and continues to partner with organizations across the region to build pathways out of poverty and toward lasting economic mobility.