Opinion: Clean Slate has a proven history of success
By David LaGrand
The exterior of the Stamford Superior Courthouse in Stamford.
Connecticut has a historic opportunity to build public safety and foster prosperity for many who have been denied equitable access to it. SB 1019 is a pending bill, known as the Clean Slate bill, which, if passed, will help hundreds of thousands of Connecticut residents by clearing their criminal records.
We all care about public safety. We have been conditioned to expect the worst from those who have committed crimes in the past, but this worry about repeated criminal conduct tempts us to paint others with too broad a brush. Not all past crimes are good indicators of future risk, and a superficial fear response can stop us from looking more deeply for the best ways to improve public safety for all.