People Change.

Records Can Too.

West Philadelphia Pardon Network

A pardon is total forgiveness by the state and it requires the court, prosecutors, and state police to erase your record like it never happened.

You will never have to “check the box” again!

The West Philly Pardon Network

A pardon is a powerful tool for people who deserve a second chance. In Pennsylvania, the pardon process is free and more accessible than ever before. The West Philly Pardon Network was created to help members of our community who were once convicted of a crime, completed their sentence, and turned their lives around – and only their past is holding them back from pursuing their potential.

If you’re someone who has a criminal record and is considering seeking a pardon, there are several benefits to doing so. Firstly, a pardon can help remove the stigma and barriers that come with having a criminal record, making it easier to find employment, housing, and education opportunities. Additionally, a pardon can provide a sense of closure and allow you to move on from your past, freeing you to pursue personal and professional growth. The potential benefits of a pardon are significant and can create a range of opportunities that may not have been available otherwise. We want to help you realize this opportunity!

If you have ever pled guilty or been convicted of a non-violent state crime in Pennsylvania and completed your sentence at least five years ago, you should consider applying for a pardon.

Records Can Too.

The West Philly Pardon Network

A pardon is a powerful tool for people who deserve a second chance. In Pennsylvania, the pardon process is free and more accessible than ever before. The West Philly Pardon Network was created to help members of our community who were once convicted of a non-violent crime, completed their sentence, and turned their lives around – and only their past is holding them back from pursuing their potential.

If you’re someone who has a criminal record and is considering seeking a pardon, there are several benefits to doing so. Firstly, a pardon can help remove the stigma and barriers that come with having a criminal record, making it easier to find employment, housing, and education opportunities. Additionally, a pardon can provide a sense of closure and allow you to move on from your past mistakes, freeing you to pursue personal and professional growth. The potential benefits of a pardon are significant and can create a range of opportunities that may not have been available otherwise. We want to help you realize this opportunity!

If you have ever pled guilty or been convicted of a non-violent state crime in Pennsylvania and completed your sentence at least five years ago, you should consider applying for a pardon.
West Philadelphia Pardon Network

A pardon is total forgiveness by the state and it requires the court, prosecutors, and state police to erase your record like it never happened.

You will never have to “check the box” again!

News Alert

At its October Public Hearings, the Board of Pardons heard 176 pardon applications (including 42 that were excused) and recommended 138 of them - a success rate of 78.4%. The applicants came from 38 counties. A total of 596 pardon cases were heard by the BOP this year and 81.5% (486) were recommended to the Governor.

Two –

Thirds

of those who apply for a pardon in Pennsylvania actually get one!

Did You Know?

Pennsylvania is leading the nation in pardon reform! The pardon process is entirely free, a lawyer is not necessary, and over 80% of the people going before the PA Board of Pardons actually end up with a pardon! Over a ten-year period, pardons brought over $16.5 million dollars in higher wages into communities all across the state. West Philly deserves its fair share!

Who We Are

The West Philly Pardon Network began with 15 community leaders meeting to discuss what could be done about how criminal records – people’s pasts – are keeping our whole neighborhood in poverty. We came together at the invitation of Shuja Moore, a fourth-generation West Philadelphian, who is an award-winning film director and producer and  is still serving a sentence for a crime he committed in 2004. Inviting as many civic, business and non-profit leaders as we could, we held a screening of his documentary Pardon Me at the Paul Robeson House on February 14 and, because of the great interest, followed it up with two free training programs on February 27 and 29.  We are the ONLY “Pardon Network” in any community in the whole state, and  we are part of a large and growing statewide network of Pardon Projects.

For a list of places where you can go to get information about pardons and someone to help you apply, click here. (list growing every month!)

What We Do

We encourage and train neighborhood organizations (“Pardon Hubs”) to provide information about pardons to their customers and clients, and we train volunteers (“Pardon Coaches”) so that they know the process and can help people apply.

Who We Serve

We help anyone who lives in West Philadelphia who has been convicted of a crime in Pennsylvania. We cannot help people who were convicted in federal court or in any other state.

How Do I Find Out if I Am a Good Candidate?

Complete the form below with your information and someone from our team will be reply:

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About the Pardon Project

Philadelphia Lawyers for Social Equity (PLSE) has been helping low-income Philadelphians clean up their criminal records since 2011. In 2018, it started the Pardon Project to make the pardon process in Pennsylvania accessible to those without money to hire lawyers. In 2020, PLSE began helping communities outside Philadelphia form their own Pardon Projects. The Pennsylvania Association of Pardon Projects was formed the following year. Click here to read the article Pardon Projects: Communities Coming Together in Restorative Justice (PA Bar Association, Jan. 2022).
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Pennsylvania Association of Pardon Projects
230 S. Broad Street Suite 1102
Philadelphia, PA 19102

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