Pennsylvania
FAMM to host virtual panel, Pardon Me: Clemency 101, Sen. Sharif Street, Philadelphia Councilmember Cindy Bass and Pennsylvania Board of Pardons Secretary Celeste Trusty
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John Norton, 202-999-4268
jnorton@famm.org
FAMM to host virtual panel, Pardon Me: Clemency 101, Sen. Sharif Street, Philadelphia Councilmember Cindy Bass and Pennsylvania Board of Pardons Secretary Celeste Trusty
PHILADELPHIA – FAMM is hosting a virtual panel on clemency, Pardon Me: Clemency 101 in Pennsylvania on Wednesday, March 23 from noon–1:30 p.m.
“After decades of clemency being effectively dormant in Pennsylvania, grants have significantly improved under Governor Wolf,” said Maria Goellner, FAMM’s Pennsylvania State Policy Director. “FAMM strongly believes in a second chance for incarcerated individuals, and clemency is one of the only avenues right now for people in Pennsylvania’s prisons serving very long sentences to get an opportunity for an early release.”
The panel will be moderated by Maria Goellner, FAMM’s Pennsylvania State Policy Director, and feature State Senator Sharif Street, Philadelphia Councilmember Cindy Bass and Pennsylvania Board of Pardons Secretary Celeste Trusty. You can register for the free Zoom event here.
This panel will examine the basics of clemency, including pardons and commutations, and discuss how this is different from expunging or sealing someone’s record. The panelists will also address the issues of injustice that have previously plagued the process and what can be done with policy and legislation to improve second chance opportunities in the future.
Expanding clemency is a pillar of FAMM’s Second Chances Agenda, which seeks to create as many mechanisms as possible to give people second chances, reunite families, and reduce mass incarceration. More on the history of clemency can also be found in this report.
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FAMM is a national nonpartisan advocacy organization that promotes fair and effective criminal justice policies that safely reduce incarceration, save taxpayer dollars, and keep families together. Founded in 1991, FAMM has secured bold sentencing and prison reform across the country while elevating the voices of directly impacted individuals and families.