Video Library

General Information

People change. Records don’t. Each of us is better than the worst things we’ve ever done, but criminal records define people forever. And as The Economy League documents in a path-breaking study (2020), pardons can bring millions of dollars into low-income communities without using any taxpayer money, simply by letting people compete for jobs they are qualified for. In “People Change,” people share why they broke the law and how that has come to define them.
In “Walkies,” filmmaker Shuja Moore tells stories of transformation, talking with people who have been in prison about who they were and who they have become “on the outside.” To find out more about Walkies or to help fund future episodes, email ShujaMoore@gmail.com.

Peer-To-Peer Advice: The Pardon Process

The best way to learn about how to get a pardon is by listening to people who have gone through the process. Here you’ll find a series of short videos – 4 minutes or so – where 8 people share their experiences and the lessons they learned. The crimes they committed include forgery, theft, robbery, prostitution, dealing crack cocaine, assault and carrying an unlicensed gun. Several of them had been convicted of three or more different crimes.

These videos were made possible by a grant from the Thomas Skelton Harrison Foundation and were produced by Drexel University’s Dragon Productions under the direction of Nicholas Natalicchio. We also thank Board of Pardons Secretary Brandon Flood (who received a pardon himself) for participating and veteran TV news anchor Renee Chenault Fattah for doing the interviews.

Click below for our latest video:

DIY: Filling Out the Application

Pennsylvania is on the leading edge of pardon reform in the country. Today (June 2020), over 85% of those submitting quality applications for pardon actually receive one from the Governor!
The form to apply for a pardon in Pennsylvania is pretty short but there are things you need to know to do the best job you can filling it out. These videos were created by Philadelphia Attorney Joe Mitchell, a private attorney who gives free community education workshops as a volunteer for PLSE.