On the heels of Pennsylvania’s Clean Slate initiative, closer to home local public defenders and elected officials have decided to give Allegheny County residents who have had brushes with the law a shot at a fresh start.
Realizing that an arrest can create barriers to housing and employment, former public defender now Judge Elliot Howsie, wanted to give his former clients second chances that wouldn’t be tainted by the stigma of a criminal record. To that end he decided to work with County-Executive, the Public Defender's office, and others to create the Project Reset program.