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1 Written Testimony of Ames C. Grawert, Senior Counsel, Justice Program, Brennan Center for Justice at NYU School of Law, Submitted to the Senate Standing Committees on Codes at the Hearing concerning S. 1553A (Automatic Expungement) 1 (2021)

handle is hein.brennan/bcwtamgsc0001 and id is 1 raw text is: BRENNAN CENTER FOR JUSTICE Written Testimony of Ames C. Grawert Senior Counsel, Justice Program Brennan Center for Justice at NYU School of Law' Submitted to the Senate Standing Committees on Codes at the Hearing Concerning S. 1553A (Automatic Expungement) May 6, 2021 The Brennan Center for Justice at New York University School of Law welcomes the chance to testify in support of S. 1553A, a clean slate act for New York. Drawing on rigorous empirical research, the Brennan Center's nonpartisan experts work to raise awareness of the connection between poverty and criminal justice involvement, and advocate for policies that like S. 1553A would help break that link. We commend the Committee for holding a hearing on this important legislation and urge the Senate to pass it. For the moment, New York continues to lag other states in the adoption of so-called clean slate laws, which automatically phase out old criminal records with the passage of time. Enacting S. 1553A would, at a stroke, place New York instead near the forefront of this movement, and make the state a leader in providing economic opportunities for people who have interacted with the criminal justice system. The ongoing coronavirus pandemic and related recession make this matter especially urgent. We urge the Senate to act without delay to pass this legislation. I. Experience with the Criminal Justice System Reduces Earnings for Decades, Creating a System of Perpetual Punishment. Automatic expungement laws aim to expand economic opportunity for people who have returned to their communities after spending time in prison or being convicted of a crime. That relief is sorely needed. All too often, the promise of a second chance after a criminal conviction proves illusory, even in New York, contributing to poverty and economic inequality statewide. Recent research by the Brennan Center starkly illustrates this problem, showing that in the United States, conviction and imprisonment can impact someone's ability to earn a living wage for decades. According to our research, people who have spent time in prison earn roughly half ' The Brennan Center is a nonpartisan public policy and law institute that focuses on the fundamental issues of democracy and justice, and conducts rigorous research to better understand - and identify policy solutions that will help overcome - the collateral consequences of mass incarceration. The opinions expressed in this testimony are only those of the Brennan Center, and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of NYU School of Law. Brennan Center for Justice at New York University School of Law 120 Broadway, Suite 1750 New York, NY 10271

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