New art installation pops up at Independence Mall
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Photo courtesy of JPMorgan Chase
A new art installation highlighting the barriers to workforce reentry faced by those with past criminal convictions is being unveiled today at Independence Mall.
Why it matters: The installation from JPMorgan Chase coincides with Second Chance Month.
Driving the news: "Waiting Workforce" from artist the Glue Society, which features 38 statues of expungement paperwork housed within a glass enclosure, is on the mall along Arch Street between 5th and 6th streets.
- The statues represent the number of U.S. states that haven't passed so-called "clean slate" legislation, which helps people seal some criminal records to help them access employment, education and housing.
- 1 cool thing: In 2018, Pennsylvania became the first state in the nation to pass such a bill, automatically sealing some low-level, nonviolent conviction records from public disclosure after 10 years.
- Plus: The state has expanded the program, including last year to include sealing certain felony records and reducing some wait times.
- More than 45 million cases have been sealed since 2019.
The big picture: 1 in 3 Americans has a criminal record like an arrest, which never led to a conviction, that would appear on a background check for housing or employment, per the Clean Slate Initiative.
☝️ If you go: The installation will remain at Independence Mall through the end of the month.
