(TNS) — Pennsylvania recently launched an online application for pardons, becoming one of the first states in the country to digitize the process for people seeking to clear their record of criminal convictions.

Thousands of people apply annually, seeking approval from the five-member Board of Pardons and the governor to wipe their records of criminal history that can block access to jobs, housing, and certain rights, such as serving on a jury or holding public office.

Previously, people had to fill out the application on paper and mail it to the board alongside relevant documents.

The process was onerous for applicants and Board of Pardons staff, officials said, especially in recent years as advocacy under former Lt. Gov. John Fetterman caused hundreds more people to apply annually. Even before the influx, a pardon candidate could wait years for their application to reach a decision.

A digitization effort began under Fetterman, but stalled out by the time he and former Gov. Tom Wolf left office.

Gov. Josh Shapiro’s administration, in collaboration with the Commonwealth Office of Digital Experience, renewed efforts to move the application online. CODE is an in-house team of technology experts created in 2023 and tasked with making state government more easily accessible online.

The online application is intended to give more people the opportunity to earn a pardon, said Lt. Gov. Austin Davis, as well as make processing those applications easier and more efficient for Board of Pardons staff.

“We took the time to update and improve the process from soup to nuts, from adding a Spanish language form, which is something that we had been hearing, to using AI to help us process handwritten applications which were previously being retyped by staff members,” Davis told Spotlight PA in an interview.

More than 240 people have applied for a pardon online since the application launched.

Here’s what you need to know about the pardons process and the new online application:

What is a pardon?

A pardon is forgiveness for a crime, and is provided by the governor. If you earn a pardon for a criminal conviction, the state will automatically expunge it. After receiving a pardon, you can apply for a job, housing, or any other services and deny you were ever convicted of the crime. A pardon also restores rights that may have been lost because of a criminal conviction. Who can apply for a pardon?

Anyone with a criminal conviction can apply for a pardon. People still serving a prison or parole sentence might have better luck applying for a commutation, which does not wipe their record of the crime, but instead shortens their sentence for it.

Commutation applications still must be completed using the paper form.

How can I apply for a pardon online?

You can apply for a pardon at the Board of Pardons website.

The Board of Pardons recommends gathering the documents you need before starting the application, as you cannot save the application after beginning it.

Those documents include all court records associated with the cases, including the: * Criminal complaint * Affidavit of probable cause * Criminal information/indictment * Final plea or verdict * Sentencing order * Documentation of your financial obligation status

The board adds: “If the court does not have these documents, they must provide a letter confirming they are unavailable. If you were sentenced by a Magisterial District Judge and your case is older than seven years, you are not required to get a letter.”

What else do I need to apply?

Applicants also must include a personal statement that explains why they want a pardon. The board encourages applicants to explain how their life has changed for the better since the crime, and include any additional documents that can serve as evidence of positive change.

The board also recommends paying outstanding fines and fees associated with your case.

Can I still submit a paper application?

Yes, a paper application is still available for download.

If you cannot print the paper application at home, you can ask the Board of Pardons to mail you an application.

To request an application, mail a document including your name, address and contact information to:

Pennsylvania Board of Pardons

555 Walnut Street

Suite 704

Harrisburg, PA 17101

How can I check the status of my application?

The Board of Pardons is working with CODE to design a way for pardon applicants to receive automatic updates. An exact timeline is not clear as of August, board spokesperson Kirstin Alvanitakis said.

In the meantime, you or a designated representative can request updates from the Board of Pardons by emailing bopclemency@pa.gov or calling (717) 787-2596. Board staff will confirm the name and birthdate or social security number of the applicant, and aims to respond in 24 hours.

What else do I need to know?

The online application is available in 18 languages, including English and Spanish. The printable application is available in just two: English and Spanish.

The printable PDF application includes more information about the pardons process, and what type of clemency might be appropriate. You can access that at pa.gov/services/bop/apply-for-clemency.

The Pennsylvania Pardon Project, a nonprofit based in Philadelphia, created a tip sheet and video guide to using the digital application. You can access those resources on their website, pardonmepa.org.

(Spotlight PA is an independent, nonpartisan and nonprofit newsroom producing investigative and public-service journalism that holds power to account and drives positive change in Pennsylvania. If you learned something from this article, pay it forward and contribute to Spotlight PA at spotlightpa.org/donate. Spotlight PA is funded by foundations and readers like you who are committed to accountability journalism that gets results.)