Finishing a prison sentence doesn’t always mean the sentence is over. In this personal essay, Clean Slate Hawaiʻi advocate Kimmy Takata describes how her record created barriers long after she had begun rebuilding her life, and how persistence led her to four degrees and a meaningful career. Her story is a powerful look at what Clean Slate could make possible for thousands of people still waiting for their chance.

The Office of Hawaiian Affairs (OHA) recently featured Clean Slate Hawaiʻi in Ka Wai Ola, it’s monthly newspaper.

In this episode of “Covering the Cost” on June 3 at 12:30 p.m., Annalisa Burgos sits down with criminal justice reform advocate Kat Brady to talk about the cost of incarceration and the impact of Hawaii’s prison system on its economy.

Hawaiʻi officially declared this April as Second Chance Month with a proclamation from Gov. Josh Green on March 31.

As individuals who have been through and seen loved ones experience the justice system firsthand, we both know that our experiences don’t end after arrest, conviction, or sentence. When one person carries the burden of a record, the impact is felt across their children, kupuna, and extended family, disrupting relationships that are essential to healing and stability.

The Attorney General’s Office just expunged the records of more than 1,300 Big Island residents through a pilot program. Some policymakers want to see the work expand.