As a new report highlights massive hurdles for people with an arrest or other legal record, TimeDone Ohio brings together Columbus families to champion economic freedom and public safety
COLUMBUS, Ohio – Today, more than 100 Ohioans with a past record gathered at The Linden Community Center for a neighborhood event to promote community empowerment and public safety. Organizers are calling it a “new day” for those ready to work to build safe, economically vibrant neighborhoods in every corner of the state.
TimeDone Ohio members joined local crime survivors to advocate for common sense public safety policies that help break cycles of crime and victimization. Members also received free information about housing, employment, legal services, and other resources to help them break free from post-incarceration poverty.
“Even after completing their sentences, countless Americans continue to face exclusion from complete engagement in our economy or contributing to their communities, resulting in situations akin to, or even more challenging than, those that initially led to their imprisonment.” said Artise Anderson, Ohio state chapter coordinator for TimeDone. “When we give individuals the chance to turn their lives around, we underscore our dedication to redemption and lay the foundation for a safer, economically flourishing future for our state.”
The event follows a groundbreaking report released earlier this year that shows the devastating toll a past record can have on folks working to move on with their lives. The national survey of people living with an old legal record found that more than half struggle to find work and earn enough to afford groceries or rent.
Ohio has made recent strides, including passing SB 288 last year – with the support of the Alliance for Safety and Justice. The law went into effect this year, which expands access to record relief in several ways, including improving access to expungement, expanding the number and types of offenses eligible for relief, and reducing waiting periods for some offenses.
With over one million people in the state living with an old record, one in ten is effectively locked out of opportunities to build stability for their families and give back to their communities. Hundreds of laws and restrictions in the state – collectively known as collateral consequences – prevent residents from securing employment, education, housing, and more.
TimeDone is a flagship program of the Alliance for Safety and Justice, the nation’s largest grassroots public safety organization that brings together families from communities most harmed by violent crime. TimeDone unites families affected by the criminal justice system to share resources and hope, advocate for changes to policy that make redemption possible for more Americans, and stand alongside crime victims to win solutions that make all communities safer.
TimeDone helps folks with a past record gain access to information and services – from expungement, to credit counseling, to higher education – while allowing them to step into their essential role as advocates for community-led public safety.
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ABOUT THE ALLIANCE FOR SAFETY AND JUSTICE
Alliance for Safety and Justice (ASJ) is a national advocacy organization that aims to replace ineffective criminal justice system policies with what works to keep people safe. We represent diverse crime survivors as well as people living with old records as key public safety stakeholders. ASJ brings our members together with state leaders and coalition partners to win reforms that stop cycles of crime, reduce costly incarceration, and make communities safer. We support a range of “shared safety” reforms, including crime prevention, community health, rehabilitation, economic mobility, and trauma recovery. For more information, visit https://allianceforsafetyandjustice.org.
