In Kentucky, a clean slate is out of reach for too many people who’ve served their time | Opinion
In the quiet hamlet of Jackhorn in Letcher County, a social enterprise, Black Sheep Brick Oven Bakery has become an unexpected haven for redemption since its inception.
At Hemphill Community Center, the founder and owner, Gwen Johnson, whose story is rooted in restitution, ensures her sister’s memory is felt as people enter this warm and welcoming space to recover from their past. She hosts a gathering known as the story circle. Here, people, many of whom carry the weight of past mistakes, share their experiences, their regrets, and their hopes. It is a place where community meets forgiveness, and those who have served their time seek something far more elusive than freedom: a second chance.
“Well, it’s my restitution from my own slinging back in the day...and contributing to some people’s cocaine habits,” stated Johnson.
Forward Justice Action Network (FJAN), in partnership with Appalshop, has joined forces to bring these powerful stories to the forefront of this 2025 legislative session. Through storytelling and advocacy, they ensure that the narratives of those seeking redemption are heard and actively shaping policy conversations in Frankfort.
The struggle for a clean slate is one too many Kentuckians know intimately. Every year, thousands of our neighbors are released from incarceration only to find themselves imprisoned by their records. A past conviction, often decades old, is an immovable barrier to healthcare access, employment, housing, and dignity. Even minor offenses can strip a person of opportunities to rebuild their life, condemning them to a cycle of poverty and disenfranchisement.
This is where organizations like Forward Justice Action Network step in. FJAN is part of the Clean Slate Kentucky coalition where we support expungement efforts across the state and are working to clear eligible records and restore hope to those burdened by past mistakes. For many folks across our commonwealth, an expunged record is not just a bureaucratic process—it is the key to unlocking a life once deemed out of reach.
The injustice of a system that punishes beyond the sentence imposed by a court should concern us all. Incarceration is both harmful and economically unsound. Prison expansion in rural Kentucky has failed to reduce poverty or boost employment, while counties investing in larger jails accumulate risky debt, relying on sustained high incarceration rates to remain financially viable. Recidivism continues to rise because, for many, there is more stability and structure inside the incarceration system than the limited freedoms available when reentering society. If we believe in redemption and the fundamental value of self-determination, we must also believe in second chances.
Legislators in Kentucky have made progress in recent years by expanding access to expungement, but there is still more work to be done. HB 569 and SB 218 in the 2024 legislative session presented a critical opportunity to automate the expungement process, removing financial and bureaucratic barriers that prevent eligible individuals from clearing their records.
According to the Clean Slate Initiative, 1.3 million (38%) of the total adult Kentucky population have a record, and 572,000 (44%) of the total adult Kentucky population remain eligible for record clearance but face significant access barriers. The process remains costly and complex, often placing a clean slate out of reach for those who need it most. Change should focus on making expungement more accessible and automatic for eligible individuals, ensuring that past mistakes do not permanently mark those who have paid their debt to society.
At Black Sheep, in that story circle, the idea of a second chance is more than just policy—it is lived experience. It is the recognition that people are more than the worst thing they’ve ever done. And we find the true meaning of redemption in these spaces, where justice meets empathy.
“Starting work here [at] Black Sheep...this is my biggest part of recovery, 100 percent!” said Dianne, a Black Sheep participant.
A clean slate is more than clearing a record; it is about restoring dignity, rebuilding communities, and recognizing the humanity in each of us. The work of FJAN and similar organizations makes us accountable to justice. It does not end when a sentence is served—it begins when society allows people to start over.
Through storytelling and advocacy, we ensure that the voices of those seeking redemption are heard where it matters most—at the halls of power.
Dr. Danielle King is a Policy Specialist at Forward Justice Action Network, a doctor of law and policy and a 2024 Presidential Lifetime Achievement Award recipient. She is also the CEO and founder of Youth-Centered Policymaking, LLC.
Attica Scott is a former State Representative and the Director of Special Projects at Forward Justice Action Network.