Detroit's Project Clean Slate celebrates 20,000th expunged conviction milestone

It's been 10 years since Detroit launched Project Clean Slate, and in that time, thousands of people have had their records wiped clean. On Wednesday, city officials celebrated the 20,000th expunged conviction.

"The process was actually very easy. All you got to do is show up and get fingerprinted, and they do the rest," said Mary Steadman, one of the program's earliest clients. 

The program launched in 2016 and examines people's records, such as the number of convictions and the length of time since their last conviction, on a case-by-case basis."This program is about helping Detroiters clear their records, reclaim their futures, opening doors that once stood in, creating real pathways to employment, education, and stability," said Detroit Mayor Mary Sheffield. 

People who went through the program, like Steadman, said the conviction on their records was a real detriment to finding a job. 

"I'd get some good jobs, and every time they get to the background check, they would say, 'Mary, your background,'" Steadman said. 

Detroit Police Chief Todd Bettison said there's a real financial impact to an old conviction. 

"Studies that show that when you have an expunged record, and you do have that clean slate and your record is clear, that you make about 30% more as far as an income boost," Bettison said. 

But even more than the financial impact, Steadman said, having a clean slate makes for a good example for the young women she's helping to raise. 

"I'm raising my granddaughter, and I want to show her how to navigate life and be somebody in life," she said.