National Expungement Works Releases 2021 Impact Report

The organization National Expungement Works (NEW) released its 2021 Impact Report on February 22, which examines the past year’s victories to help those impacted by the criminal justice system for a variety of reasons, including cannabis-related convictions.

NEW Founder LaTorie Marshall shared in a statement that 2021 was a challenging but monumental year for the organization. “To stay true to the mission, 2021 was about using our organizers because I know they are doing this healing work 24/7, with or without NEW I have been challenging myself with my actions with, for and alongside to get better at them,” Marshall said in a press release. “2022 is the year we can kick our five-year wealth plan up a notch with our scholarship program. From learning to lobby your community to owning the building, we are the ones healing and protecting one another as we continue our process of reforming systems built against us. I feel that if there is a presence of NEW in your community and you are systemically impacted or impacted and you need a safe haven to let go; Come and talk to us, it’s up to us.”

NEW is also sponsored by Canopy Growth Corporation, which stated that it is the cannabis industry’s duty to partner with organizations to help people and communities in need. “As we continue to evolve our social impact strategy with the support of our community partners, we continue to learn about the injustices facing just communities,” said Hilary Black, chief advocacy officer of Canopy Growth Corporation. “This includes the difficulties faced by people affected by the criminal justice system – including the possibility of the accumulation of additional progressive charges. Comprehensive, end-to-end services, like NEW’s Brake Light Clinics, are a direct response to the barriers and experiences of communities affected by justice.”

NEW has partnered with CFA to help the Social Impact Center and Los Angeles District Attorney George Gascón identify approximately 66,000 cannabis convictions that were released in Los Angeles County last year. “The combined efforts of such powerful forces, along with the Los Angeles Attorney’s Office, have helped shed light on the importance of automatic deletion, as those who qualify may not even know they are eligible,” the 2021 Impact Report states . The way was paved for the cannabis-related wipes by the original Pillar 47, which lowers certain nonviolent property and drug offenses from felonies to misdemeanors and will be responsible for thousands of future automatic record wipes.

Founded in October 2018, NEW is currently run by 632 volunteers, organizations and individuals working to help Americans whose lives are being impacted by the War on Drugs. According to the 2021 Impact Report, its many accomplishments include hosting numerous events such as the Week of Action & Awareness, which consisted of 21 virtual and in-person gatherings in 10 different cities, and assisting over 65,000 people to have their records deleted or sealed for their services such as “legal aid, employment workshops, food and product giveaways, health screening and voter registration”. Those seeking ways to delete or seal records may fill out a form on NEW’s website to determine specific state laws and eligibility requirements.

More recently, NEW will be hosting “Brake Light Clinics” in Maryland on February 27, 2022, with many more plans for 2022 to be announced later. Other efforts to have cannabis convictions expunged have also increased annually. In late January 2022, California lawmakers introduced a bill to expedite the deletion of over 34,000 people still awaiting relief. Advocates in New Jersey recently held a free erasure clinic for low-level cannabis convictions in September 2021.