%-PEOPLE CAN
GO
IN,
THEY
CAN
%-SEARCH
FOR
THEIR
CRIMINAL
%-RECORDS THAT ARE
ELIGIBLE TO
BE
%-REMOVE
ED,
THE
FORM CAN
BE
AUTO
%-FILLED, THEY
CAN
SIGN
IT
ON
%-THEIR PHONE
OR
COMPUTER, AND
%-THEN
THE
FORM CAN BE
SENT
TO
IN
%-DANE COUNTY EITHER
THE
URBAN
%-LEAGUE
OR
LEGAL
ACTION
OF
%-WISCONSIN WHERE
IT WILL BE
%-PRINTED
OUT, THE
PERSON
CAN
GO
%-THERE, PUT
THEIR
FINGER
FINGERPRINTS ON
%-THE
FORM,
AND IT IS SENT
INTO
%-THE
DEPARTMENT OF
JUSTICE.
%-WE ARE
WORKING
RIGHT NOW
ON
%-ESTABLISHING
SITES AROUND
THE
%-STATE
WHERE PEOPLE WILL BE ABLE
%-TO GO
AND
GET
THOSE
FINGERPRINTS
%-TAKEN.
%-PEOPLE CAN LEARN
ABOUT THE TOOL.
%-THEY CAN
USE THE
TOOL.
%-THEY CAN
GET
THEIR RECORDS
%-CLEARED MORE
EASILY
THAN IN
%-PRIOR
TIMES.
%->>
AND
SO
THE
TOOL
IS
%-SPECIFICALLY
WHAT
LIFT
DANE HAS
%-BEEN
WORKING ON
TO
LAUNCH
SINCE
%-2019,
AND,
ESSENTIALLY, IT IS A
%-WAY FOR
SOMEONE TO
EARTHQUAKELY
%-ACCESS
THEIR INFORMATION AND
%-QUICKLY
CONNECT
TO
EXPERTS
WHO
%-CAN
HELP
THEM
ALONG
IN
THIS
%-PROCESS AND HAVE
IT DONE
%-QUICKER, IS THAT
RIGHT?
%->>
THAT'S
TRUE.
%-THE
TOOL,
AND
WE
CALL
IT
A
TOOL
%-AND
NOT AN APP
BECAUSE
IT
%-DOESN'T HAVE TO BE
DOWNLOADED%-FROM THE APP STORE.
%-YOU
CAN
JUST
GET
IT
ON
A
%-WEBSITE.
%-EITHER ON YOUR
PHONE OR
ON A
%-COMPUTER.
%-WE ARE
TRYING
TO
MAKE
IT
AS
%-EASILY
ACCESSIBLE FOR
PEOPLE AS
%-POSSIBLE.
%-THEY CAN
FILL
OUT
THE
FORMS
%-THEMSELVES OR WITH A
TRUSTED
%-HELPER,
A
LEGAL
NAVIGATOR,
A
%-SOCIAL WORKER WHO IS
WORKING
%-WITH
THEM, AND
IF
THEY
NEED
%-FURTHER
HELP,
THEY
CAN
REQUEST
A
%-REFERRAL
BY
JUST
HITTING
A
%-BUTTON ON
THE
WEBSITE.
%->>
SO HOW
MUCH
MONEY
DOES IT
%-COST
THE
INDIVIDUAL,
AND HOW
%-MUCH MONEY
DOES
THIS
PROGRAM
%-COST TO
RUN
?
%->>
THE
GREAT THING
IS
THAT
THE
%-INDIVIDUAL DOESN'T HAVE TO
PAY
A
%-PENNY, ALL
RIGHT?
%-LIFT WISCONSIN
PAYS
THE
COST,
%-AND THERE IS
A
COST
OF
ACCESSING
%-THE RECORDS FROM THE
DEPARTMENT
%-OF
JUSTICE
DATA
BASE.
%-THERE'S NO
COST
TO
ACCESSING
%-C-CAP
RECORDS,
BUT
WHEN YOU
WANT
%-TO
CLEAR
YOUR
RECORDS FROM THE%-SAME
DATA
BASE
THAT
LANDLORDS
%-AND
EMPLOYERS
USE,
WHICH
IN
%-WISCONSIN IS
CALLED
WORKS,
THE
%-WISCONSIN
ONLINE --
NOT
THE
%-ONLINE
COURT
SYSTEM, I
FORGET
%-THE
ACRONYM,
BUT THE
DEPARTMENT
%-OF
JUSTICE
DATA BASE
THAT IS
%-USED TO
PULL UP
ARRESTING%-CONVICTION RECORDS, AND
THAT
%-
COSTS
$7 PER
RECORD, AND
SO
%-RIGHT
NOW,
LIFT
WISCONSIN IS
%-PAYING
THAT
COST.
%-WE ARE
HOPING,
EVENTUALLY, IF
%-THE
DEPARTMENT
OF
JUSTICE SEES
%-HOW
USEFUL
THIS
TOOL
IS
IT
WILL
%-WAIVE THAT COST
MAKING
IT
EVEN
%-EASIER FOR
US
TO
HELP MORE
%-PEOPLE.
%-WE
BEGAN
THIS PROJECT
WITH
A
$1
%-MILLION
AWARD
FROM
SCHMIDT
%-FUTURES,
AN
ORGANIZATION
STARTED
%-BY
ERIC
SCHMIDT,
WHO
STARTED
%-GOOGLE, AND
THAT
AWARD
WAS
THE
%-CULMINATION OF A
COMPETITION
%-THAT LIFT
PARTICIPATED IN
A
%-COUPLE
YEARS
AGO
CALL
ED
"DREAM
%-UP
WISCONSIN" WHICH WAS
A
%-UNIVERSITY PRIVATE
PARTNERSHIP
%-TO INCREASE
INCOMES
OF
DANE
%-COUNTY
RESIDENTS OVER
TIME.
%-WE
WERE
SUCCESSFUL IN
WINNING
%-THAT MONEY.
%-MUCH OF THE
MONEY
HAS
GONE TO
%-DEVELOPING
THE
TECHNOLOGY,
AND
%-OTHER MONEY
WILL,
OBVIOUSLY, GO
%-TO
PAYING
TO
ACCESS
THESE
%-RECORDS
AND
MAINTAINING THE
%-TECHNOLOGY,
AND
THEN LIFT
IS%-ALSO
PAY
ING
LEGAL SERVICE
%-PROVIDERS
WHO
PROVIDE NECESSARY
%-SERVICES
TO PEOPLE
WHO
NEED
%-ADDITIONAL
HELP, AND
SO, FOR
%-EXAMPLE, WE HAVE
AN
AGREEMENT
%-WITH
WITH
LEGAL
ACTION
OF
%-WISCONSIN
TO
HELP
INDIVIDUALS
%-WHO MIGHT
NEED
MORE
ADDITIONAL
%-HELP IN
CASES
WHERE
THEY
CAN'T
%-JUST
DO
IT
THROUGH
THE
TOOL
%-ONLINE.
%->>
SO IT
IS
FREE
FOR
PEOPLE
TO
%-USE.
%-WITHOUT
IT,
WHAT
ARE
THE
RIPPLE
%-EVENING --
EFFECTS OF THE
%-COMPOUNDING
BARRIERS AS
SOMEONE
%-HAS
THESE
RECORDS
THAT
THEY
%-DON'T KNOW
NEED TO BE
CLEARED,
%-DON'T KNOW HOW TO
CLEAR,
AND ON
%-THE
FLIPSIDE, WHAT
BENEFIT
DOES
%-IT
HAVE
TO SOCIETY
TO
HAVE
%-PEOPLE
HAVE
THESE
RECORDS
CLEAR
%-AND HAVE
THE
BARRIERS
REMOVED
%-FOR PEOPLE
LOOKING
FOR
BETTER
%-EMPLOYMENT, BETTER
HOUSING?
%->>
WELL, BACKGROUND
CHECKS,
AS
%-WE
KNOW, ARE
REQUIRED
FOR
MOST
%-JOBS, AND
TYPICALLY,
JOBS
THAT
%-PROVIDE
BETTER STABILITY,
PAY,
%-AND
BENEFITS,
AND
SO
IF YOU
HAVE
%-A
BACKGROUND
CHECK
THAT'S
CLEAR
%-OR
IN
BETTER SHAPE
THAN IT WAS
%-BEFORE YOU
CLEARED
THE
RECORDS
%-THAT WERE
ELIGIBLE TO BE
TAKEN
%-OFF
YOUR
BACKGROUND
CHECK,
YOUR
%-CHANCES
OF EMPLOYMENT GO
UP
.
%-THERE HAS
NOT
BEEN
RESEARCH
%-RELATED
TO
CLEARING CRIMINAL
%-RECORDS,
BUT
THERE HAS
BEEN
%-RESEARCH
RELATED
TO
EXPUNGEMENT.
%-IN
PARTICULAR, THERE WAS
A
VERY
%-LARGE
RESEARCH
PROJECT
%-UNDERTAKEN
IN
MICHIGAN
A
COUPLE
%-OF
YEARS
AGO OF
CASES
WHERE
%-EXPUNGEMENTS WERE ABLE
TO
BE
%-ACCOMPLISHED WITH A
NOTICEABLE
%-INCREASE
IN
ECONOMIC
BENEFITS
%-FOR
INDIVIDUALS, BOTH IN
JOBS
%-AND IN
WAGES.
%-THOSE
JOBS AND
WAGES
TRICKLE
%-DOWN
TO
SUPPORT
FAMILIES, AND
%-THEY
SUPPORT
OUR
ECONOMY,
AND
%-YOU REMEMBER THESE
ARE
NOT
CASES
%-OF
INDIVIDUALS
WHO
HAVE
ENGAGED
%-IN
CRIMINAL
CONDUCT
THAT
PRESENT
%-A DANGER
TO
SOCIETY.
%-THESE ARE
PEOPLE
WHO
MAY
HAVE
%-BEEN
ARRESTED
FOR
SOMETHING
THAT
%-THEY DID
NOT
HAVE
ANYTHING TO
DO
%-WITH.
%-SO
GIVING
THEM
THE
ABILITY
TO
%-WORK
AND
EARN
MONEY
AND
GET
%-HOUSING IS
AN
INDIVIDUAL
%-BENEFIT, BUT IT
ULTIMATELY IS
A
%-SOCIETAL
BENEFIT.
%->>
THIS
JUST
KIND
OF
ONE
STEP
%-FOR YOUR
ORGANIZATION, IS
THIS
%-JUST A
TOE IN THE
WATER?
%-DO YOU
CAT
CATEGORIZE
THIS
AS
%-CRIMINAL
JUSTICE
REFORM
?
%->> IT
IS
A
TOE IN THE WATER
IN
%-THAT WE
ARE
HELPING
PEOPLE
CLEAR
%-CRIMINAL RECORDS.
%-WE'RE NOT
HELPING PEOPLE
WITH
%-EXPLUNGEMENTS BECAUSE
OUR
%-EXPUNGEMENT LAW
IS
VERY
%-CHALLENGING
IN
WISCONSIN,
AND
%-WE'RE NOT
HELPING
PEOPLE
WITH
%-OTHER
TYPES
OF
BACKGROUND CHECK
%-CHALLENGES SUCH
AS
WHEN
IF
YOU,%-SUCH AS
CASES
OF
MISTAKEN
%-IDENTITY,
AND
IF
SOMETHING
SHOWS
%-UP
ON
THE
BACKGROUND CHECK
AND%-THAT WAS NOT
ME, IT
IS
MORE
%-COMPLICATED, AND
YOU CAN'T
DO
IT
%-EASILY
USING
AN ONLINE TOOL.
%-THAT
REQUIRES
HELP, AND
USUALLY
%-LEGAL
HELP,
AND
SO IT
IS
A
STEP%-IN THE
WATER
BECAUSE THE
SYSTEMS
%-ARE
CHALLENGING TO
GO
THROUGH.
%
-HOPEFULLY, BY TAKING THESE
%-STEPS, ONE STEP AT A
TIME,
WE
%-ARE
HOPING THAT
IT
WILL
LEAD
TO
%-SYSTEM CHANGE
SO
THAT
CRIMINAL
%-JUSTICE
LAWS,
EXPUNGEMENT
LAWS,
%-CRIMINAL
RECORDS
LAWS, SUCH AS
%-KEEPING A
CRIMINAL
CASE
ON
C-CAP
%-OR
ON
YOUR
CRIMINAL
HISTORY
FOR
%-15 YEARS
WHEN YOU
NEVER
ENGAGED
%-IN
ANY
OTHER CRIMINAL
CONDUCT,%-THOSE KINDS
OF
POLICY
DECISIONS%-AND
LEGISLATIVE
DECISIONS
WILL
%-ULTIMATELY
BE AS A
RESULT OF
THE
%-WORK WE
ARE DOING.
%->>
AND
IN
THIS
TIME
WHEN WE
HAVE
%-SEEN
A
LARGE
RECKONING
IN
HOW
%-DIFFERENT
RACES
INTERACT WITH
%-THE
CRIMINAL JUSTICE
SYSTEM,
%-WITH
POLICE,
ARE PEOPLE
OF
COLOR
%-MORE
IMPACTED
BY
THESE
RECORDS
%-BEING AROUND
AND
IMPACTING
%-EMPLOYMENT AND
HOUSING, AND
%
-COULD THIS ALSO
BE
A
STEP
%-TOWARDS
GREATER
EQUITY IN THAT
%-AREA?
%->>
ABSOLUTELY.
%-THIS IS
TOTALLY
A
RACIAL
EQUITY
%-TOOL.%-I
MEAN, IT IS
WELL-DOCUMENTED
%-THAT
POLICING
IMPACTS
PEOPLE
OF
%-COLOR
MUCH MORE
THAN
WHITE
%-PEOPLE.
%-THAT
MEANS
WHEN THEY
ARE
%-ARRESTED, THEY ARE
GOING
TO
HAVE
%-LONGER ARREST
RECORDS.
%-SO AND
THAT'S
GOING
TO
FURTHER
%-HAMPER THEIR
ABILITY
TO
OBTAIN
%-BETTER
JOBS,
HOUSING,
AND
%-ECONOMIC
PROSPERITY.
%-IT
DEFINITELY
HAS
AN
IMPACT
ON
%-ADDRESSING
RACIAL
INEQUITIES
IN
%-OUR
SYSTEM.
%->> ALL RIGHT.
%-WE NEED
TO LEAVE
IT
THERE,%-MARSHA MANSFIELD,
EXECUTIVE
%-DIRECTOR
OF
LEGAL
INTERVENTIONS
%-FOR
TRANSFORMING
WISCONSIN,%-THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR
JOINING
US
%-TODAY.
%->> THANK
YOU
FOR
HAVING
ME.
%->>
FOR
MORE
FROM "HERE & NOW"
%-AND PBS WISCONSIN,
YOU
CAN
VISIT
%-PBSWISCONSIN.ORG
AND THANK
YOU%-SO MUCH FOR JOINING
US
ON "NOON
%-WEDNESDAY".