Seattle Clemency Project

Mission

The Seattle Clemency Project's mission is to increase access to justice for reformed individuals whose sentences no longer serve a purpose and to prevent deportations that fracture our communities. We do this by matching our clients with free, high-quality legal representation, afterward providing holistic reentry and transition support to promote their long-term success in the community.

Description

The Seattle Clemency Project provides free legal representation to individuals seeking early release from prison or to prevent deportation due to decades-old convictions. These pathways to relief do not guarantee individuals the right to a free lawyer, and pro se petitioners are statistically less likely to be granted meaningful review. Since our founding in 2016, we've been contacted by more than 1,000 potential clients seeking help; secured freedom for 126 individuals, resulting in a reduction of more than 1,400 years of incarceration time; and prevented deportation and family separation in 45 cases. We have generated more than $10M in pro bono legal services and saved Washington State taxpayers more than $14M in incarceration costs.

PROBLEMS ADDRESSED
In Washington State, actions taken over the past 35 years have greatly increased the need for clemency and other pathways to second-look review. Since Washington abolished parole in 1984, the number of individuals serving time has approximately doubled. A significant portion of the state's incarcerated population are serving life or long sentences and have no avenue for early release or sentence review based upon their rehabilitation. Many SCP clients were convicted of crimes between the ages of 16-23 and were given no leniency despite their youthfulness. Yet, many of these individuals have undergone profound transformations in their lives. Without parole, clemency is the state's only recourse for disproportionately harsh sentences that do not address mitigating factors.

Furthermore, for many immigrants, prior criminal convictions threaten their protected status. A pardon or conviction vacate are the only means of restoring lawful status and preventing deportation. Without the assistance of a free lawyer, however, receiving a pardon or vacate is unlikely.

The cost of hiring a lawyer to advocate for early release or deportation relief is about $40,000. That is out of reach for most people who deserve access to justice. This lack of access to representation compounds the racial, economic, social, and other inequalities inherent in our criminal justice system.

WORK PERFORMED
SCP currently utilizes more than 375 pro bono lawyers from 37 leading law firms and corporations; 85 volunteers, including high school, undergraduate, and law student interns; and a diverse board of directors. We vet every individual who appeals for help, match qualified candidates with pro bono attorneys, chart a path to rehabilitation for those not yet ready for release, and file clemency or pardon petitions for selected candidates. For our pardon clients, we coordinate with the Northwest Immigrant Rights Project to reopen cases in immigration court and have removal orders overturned.

All of our incarcerated clients work with their attorneys to create comprehensive reentry plans. Once they are released from prison, our clients enroll in SCP's Reentry & Mentoring Program, which provides ongoing legal, financial, logistical, and emotional support.

With your help, we can supply more individuals who have an urgent need for free legal services with a volunteer lawyer. Thank you for considering our organization and supporting second chances in Washington State.

Recognition

We wish to thank our supporters, including Pitch Your Peers Seattle, Legal Foundation of Washington, Moccasin Lake Foundation, Seattle Foundation, Norcliffe Foundation, Vitalogy Foundation, Pivotal Ventures, Seahawks Players Equality & Justice For All Action Fund, Boeing, Microsoft, Amazon, T-Mobile, BNBuilders, Perkins Coie, Lorna Jordan Foundation, Foster Garvey, Davis Wright Tremaine, K&L Gates, DLA Piper, Stoel Rives, Pacifica Law Group, Karr Tuttle Campbell, Seyfarth Shaw, Goalen Group, Lucky Seven Foundation and numerous individual donors. Thank you for your support!

We are honored to have on our board the following individuals, who bring a depth of lived experience and professional expertise in the legal field, government, advocacy, and private sectors.

Joshua Howard

Musa Abdul-Mateen

Neeka Hodaie

Paul Heer

Kenny Wyatt II

Leticia Walker

Janet Jones Preston

Rayshaun Williams

Mark Perry

Lana Shamdeen

Last, but certainly not least, we'd like to thank our incredible pro bono attorneys, paralegals, and student volunteers. None of our successes would be possible without you!