Building the record institutions can't ignore.
The Collateral Consequences Accountability Project is documenting the real barriers people with records face in jobs, housing, education, and civic life, and turning that evidence into the case for policy reform.
Systemic accountability, built from lived experience.
CCAP is a community-driven initiative dedicated to systematically identifying, documenting, challenging, and dismantling the discriminatory policies and institutional practices that perpetuate punishment long after a sentence ends. The goal is equitable policy reform and, ultimately, justice for individuals and communities historically impacted by mass incarceration and collateral consequences.
Justice-impacted leadership and decision-making
CCAP consists of community members with the lived experience of incarceration and collateral consequences. Decisions on priorities, campaign strategies, partnerships, and tactics rest fully with the people most affected by the issues.
A leadership council of directly impacted individuals meets regularly, ensuring that every action reflects the community's real needs and perspective.
Capacity development
Workshops build the skills members need to lead the work themselves.
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01
Legal & policy literacyUnderstanding collateral consequences statutes, expungement laws, and civil rights laws.
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02
Investigative research methodsRequesting and interpreting public records, data analysis, and community research methodologies.
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03
Advocacy & organizing skillsEffective lobbying, media engagement, public speaking, storytelling, and grassroots mobilization.
Structured leadership cohorts develop members to spearhead local campaigns and mentor newer participants, backed by a peer-support network for ongoing accountability.
Root causes we're documenting
Employment
Exclusionary hiring practices, overly broad criminal background checks, and discriminatory professional licensing requirements that lock people out of stable work.
Housing
Blanket rental denials based on record alone, source-of-income discrimination, and public housing eligibility rules that leave people without stable homes.
Education
Restrictions on student aid eligibility, higher education admission processes, and professional training programs that discriminate against formerly incarcerated applicants.
Civic participation
Voting disenfranchisement, jury exclusion, and limited access to public decision-making roles.
Hold institutions accountable with us
Together, let's clear the path toward equitable communities. Partner with CCAP today.
Join NowWe do not endorse or guarantee the accuracy of information on third-party websites and do not provide legal advice based on those resources. The information on this page is for general informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice or create an attorney-client relationship.
CCAP Community Survey
Your story is evidence for change.
The Collateral Consequences Accountability Project is documenting the real barriers faced by people with records, in jobs, housing, education, and civic life. Your experience powers our fight for policy change.
Take the Survey