button for social workers, family members?
cathydeng opened this issue · comments
Multiple people have suggested that expunge.io should be a tool for people who know people with juvenile records (e.g. family, social workers), as much as it is a tool for people who have juvenile records themselves. I think the best/simplest way to address this would be to add another big fat action button, so that on the landing page there are two big buttons - one for 'i have a juvenile record' and one for 'i know someone who has a juvenile record' w/ the latter button leading to slightly different resources
The downside though is that this would add additional content to an already-cluttered landing page; making the app more inclusive w/ two buttons would come w/ the cost of making the app less simple/focused. I think I've spent too much time on this app to evaluate this kind of cost/benefit in design w/ fresh eyes.
Thoughts, anyone?
I think you are right, it will clutter the landing page more. I think if people (social workers, friends, family, etc.) know someone with a record then they should tell them to use expungeio, like the father who brought his two kids to Sharlyn. There are other resources for professionals to access, I think that this was designed for folks who don't/can't access the traditional resources.
Dorothy Brown's office reached out to have the JJC do a workshop at their expungement fair this summer. I am going to ask them to add expungeio to their site. That would provide a connection to expungeio for professionals (social workers, lawyers, etc.) Also, waiting on the County to approve funds to start an on the ground (flyers, stickers, buttons, shirts, etc.) campaign for Expungeio. Should be soon.
I like the idea of their being a button that just says "share" and it could be a way to email or text the website to someone else, because that is really the most effective way to share it.
I know this is partially my fault for being behind in responding to several Github threads right now to improve Expunge.io, but we MUST have a capacity conversation BEFORE funds come in to do the sort of intense outreach you're describing, Chris. That outreach is very necessary and long overdue, but I am still trying to reach a significant portion of the folks who submitted forms after the initial WGN story. At this point, I think everyone has received at least one call back, but I'm far from having actually connected with everyone. A campaign that could regularly bring in hundreds of submissions is not something I have the capacity to respond to as an individual in addition to running the actual help desk open hours and all my other responsibilities. (It would be a full-time job on its own.) We obviously want to figure out how to involve pro bono attorneys (and those meetings are starting), but even that may be an insufficient option with a significant increase in traffic.
We also need to be thinking about how we can set up Expunge.io to be a more useful resource for the process of expungement as opposed to just helping users with the eligibility assessment part (which they aren't doing very well anyway, in all honesty). For example, we can have a page that details the steps --> 1. get your rap sheet (and a "how do I?" page for different counties/jurisdictions) and then 2. a page that will tell people to come into open help desk hours. At some point, if we really want hundreds of people (or more) a month to come to Expunge.io, then we have to think about how to get people started on the process in a way other than me individually calling people several times, playing voicemail tag, sending emails, etc, because I won't be able to handle that volume (and the site/efforts will lose credibility if I can't respond, because there's not other info available to help people on their way).
I know that I sort of convinced everyone that people can't file their own paperwork because of they just don't have access to the information, which is still true, but we can get people further along in the process before they call (or better yet, come into) the help desk, and that would significantly decrease the duplicative work I am currently doing explaining the process. We also need to have a better sorting method for people who have records outside of Cook County.
*I know that's a lot of thoughts and they're all mushed together in one thread, but I wanted to get it on the table that these conversations (and some changes) will have to happen before any big outreach campaigns occur or else I will get buried by a pile of submissions that I'll never dig my way out of. ;) But don't worry--I am still super excited about this entire project and the prospects it has for getting so many juvenile records expunged! But unless we're gonna find money to hire some more attorneys to call everyone back, we gotta make this more efficient.
Sharlyn thanks for expressing your concerns. I had no idea. As much as I think Github is amazing, I think these concerns warrant a face to face sit down. What do you all think?
Agreed. Weekends are the easiest for me - I'm pretty flexible this sat/sun. I could also meet downtown this thurs/fri 9-10am or thurs after 7pm.
I'm out of town this weekend, but am available next weekend 03/21-03/23