If you walk near Independence Historic National Park in Center City, it will be hard to miss a glass box about the size of a rowhouse with alien-like figures looking out.

The 38 life-size figures are made of stacked paper and represent the number of states that do not have legislative policies expediting the expungement of criminal records of clean slate laws, writes Peter Crimmins for WHYY.

The stacks of paper in the box symbolize the paperwork needed to get a criminal history erased.

“The figures are hunched over. It’s a graphic representation of the weight of those records,” said Nan Gibson, executive director of the JPMorgan Chase PolicyCenter

The installation is called “Waiting Workforce” and made its Philadelphia debut in part because Pennsylvania was the first of 12 states to pass clean slate laws. 

Governor Josh Shapiro signed a third iteration of that policy into law.

About 77 million people nationwide have a criminal record, which can impede their ability to find employment. 

JPMorgan Chase, who commissioned the installation, banned the practice of asking job applicants about their criminal record, and encourages more companies to do the same.

“We recognize the importance of it for our firm, and … to the economy and society more broadly,” Gibson said. 

Read more about the new art and advocacy installation in WHYY.

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