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Showing posts with label expungement. Show all posts
Showing posts with label expungement. Show all posts

Monday, January 30, 2023

Felons should apply for all jobs they qualify for

Felons should apply for all jobs they qualify for

Felons should apply for all jobs they qualify for

Expungement gives felons a second chance

HELP! I am a 25 year old who is a recovering addict from an auto accident which almost killed me. I am highly educated in Finance/Accounting. I worked on Wall Street and was well paid as an intern. I am now on a three year probation. I was hired at a very good company in NYC before the court recently convicted me. A background check was done at that time and all was clear since I had no convictions. I turned down the job at the time - approximately a year ago. If I were to return to that company who wanted to hire me and make my contacts, would the company once again do another criminal background check? Are there any high paying jobs online I can do from home since I am educated with degrees and talented in my field? Is my life over?

I cannot attend Law School unless these felonies are expunged which is unrealistic. I don't know where to turn, I feel hopeless, I never leave my home.

I would appreciate any help or information you can give me. Thank you, God Bless.

Heartbroken



Felons should apply for all jobs they qualify for



Hello Heartbroken,

Felons should apply for all jobs they qualify for
I suggest contacting the person you were in contact with before. As I suggest to all ex-offenders and felons looking for jobs is to apply for every job you feel you are qualified for. The worst that could happen is you could be turned down. The way I see it, you will not get a job you don't apply for.

Regarding
expungement, many ex-offenders and felons looking for jobs require legal assistance. I suggest contacting your local legal aid office. There you could get low-cost or even no cost advice to help you find out what your options are in your state.  Just as an FYI, even with an expungement, your conviction will always be visible to the court system, law enforcement and government agencies.

I hope this helps.





Jobs for Ex-offenders and Felons: Where can Ex-offenders Find Jobs

Jobs for Ex-offenders and Felons: Ten Steps to Getting a Job with a Criminal Record



companies that hire felons




Felons should apply for all jobs they qualify for


Companies Hire Felons | Companies That Hire Felons | Companies That Hire Ex-offenders | Employers That Hire Ex-offenders | Employers That Hire Felons | Jobs For Felons | Jobs For Ex-offenders | Jobs That Hire Felons | Places That Hire Felons | Felon Friendly Jobs | Felon Friendly Employers | Jobs for Felons | Jobs For People That Have Felonies | Jobs For People With A Criminal Record | Expungement

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Thursday, August 25, 2022

A bill that would seal certain criminal records could open doors for millions of Californians

A bill that would seal certain criminal records could open doors for millions of Californians
State Sen. Maria Elena Durazo (D-Los Angeles), shown in 2019, who wrote Senate Bill 731, said sealing criminal records would remove burdens on previously incarcerated individuals who face discrimination once they reenter society, including when applying for jobs and places to live.
(Rich Pedroncelli / Associated Press)

 ANABEL SOSA, Originally published by The Los Angeles Times

SACRAMENTO — State lawmakers on Thursday approved legislation that would allow some Californians with criminal convictions to have those records sealed if they maintain a clean record, a move cheered by criminal justice reform advocates and harshly criticized by law enforcement.

Sen. Maria Elena Durazo, a Los Angeles Democrat who wrote Senate Bill 731, said sealing the records would remove burdens on previously incarcerated individuals who face discrimination once they reenter society, including when applying for jobs and places to live. Because California law keeps criminal records public, even long after a person’s sentence ends, those convictions often surface during background checks.

“About 75% of formerly incarcerated individuals are still unemployed after a year of their release,” Durazo said. “So something’s wrong there. We expect them to get back on their feet, but we’re not allowing them the resources to get jobs and [have] careers.”

The Senate approved the bill in a 28-10 final vote, and it will head next to Gov. Gavin Newsom for his consideration. The Assembly passed the legislation in June.

If signed into law, criminal records will still be provided to school districts, county offices of education, charter schools, private schools and state special schools that conduct background checks for job applicants. People who have their records sealed also would be required to disclose their criminal history if asked when applying for a job in law enforcement or public office. Registered sex offenders were excluded from the legislation, and those convicted of serious and violent crimes would have to petition a court to have their records sealed.

The bill would permanently and electronically seal most felony convictions after a person fully completes their sentence, including any time on probation, and would require a certain number of subsequent years without any arrests. The bill would also apply to people who were charged with a felony and served time in state prison and who have a record of an arrest that never resulted in a conviction.

Law enforcement, courts and the state Department of Justice would still have access to the records.

But law enforcement groups raised public safety concerns with concealing certain criminal records from public view.

The Peace Officers Research Assn. of California, the state’s largest law enforcement labor organization, feared expanding the relief of penalties for felons would place communities at risk, a concerned shared by other law enforcement advocates.

“A government that has more open records is more accessible to the public,” Frank Huntington, the President of California Assn. of Licensed Investigators told The Times.

Huntington agreed that individuals with criminal backgrounds face discrimination, and said the association was open to limiting the reporting requirements to a shorter time period.

“To completely seal records ... we have a huge issue with that,” Huntington said, adding that private investigators would lose access to court records that are a cornerstone of their work, which involves extensive background checks.

Under current law, people arrested on suspicion of a misdemeanor or who served time in a county jail for a felony may be eligible to have their records sealed, with similar exceptions. The proposed legislation would expand that possibility to people with additional felony convictions, including those who served state prison sentences.

Advocates of the bill argue that the lack of access to employment and housing is what drives recidivism rates and restricts California’s economic development.

Jay Jordan, the chief executive of Alliance for Safety and Justice, a criminal justice advocacy nonprofit and co-sponsor of the bill, said that people are relegated to “post-conviction poverty” by being forced to live in marginalized neighborhoods. “Folks wonder why these people are getting killed? It’s because they live in unsafe neighborhoods.”

Jordan said he and his wife have struggled to adopt a child because of his old criminal record.

Jessica Sanchez, who was previously incarcerated for a short period of time but asked to not disclose why for the sake of preserving her privacy in case the bill passes, said because of her record and limitations to housing, she was forced to move back to the neighborhood she grew up in.

“I want to live in better communities, but I can’t,” Sanchez said about her neighborhood in Central Los Angeles. For a short period of time, she had to move to a shelter with her daughters because of break-ins at one of the first apartments. “I can’t take my kids out to walk in the park.”

Sanchez said it took her nine months to find an apartment that wouldn’t ask her about her prior conviction.

“I just want a safe place to come home to,” she said. “They see that I’m a single parent, have visible tattoos, and then they see I check the box, and they say, ‘nope, never mind.’ You don’t even get a call back. As someone who is trying to leave it all behind, I’m stuck in the same place where chaos happened. How does that work?”

Because of her criminal history, Sanchez, a mother of two, said she is starting to look for new apartments before her lease is up in January. She said she knows the application process is going to take a long time and she has to get ahead now. Today, she works an administrative job at Homeboy Industries, a Los Angeles-based nonprofit that helps victims of gang violence and other formerly incarcerated individuals reenter society.

Sanchez has hopes to enroll in law school, but she fears that when she checks the box indicating she has a criminal record, she won’t qualify for certain scholarships.

“What if I want to live my life in a different way and I want nobody to know I’ve ever even been to jail?” she said. “Why can’t that be a possibility for me?”


Companies that Hire Felons




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Jobs for Felons

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Thursday, November 18, 2021

Felon wants a Military Career

Felon wants a Military Career

Felon wants a Military Career

Can I Join the Army with a Felony?

Hello I hope you can help......

Well I was charged with failure to stop after having an accident involving personal injury and I'm a little misunderstanding of what it means for it being a class four felony. I want to get into the military cuz lets face it at this point in time the chances of me getting a decent job to support me and family is really really low with this charge on me.

 I don't see any other options cuz from what I have been gathering with web browsing you can't get certain certificates and degrees to work and money is not real good at the moment to just lolly gag so my questions are as follows

1. Can I get it expunged?

2. Is it a felony misdemeanor

3. How would I go about tryin to get in the military with this?

4. What states would this not count as a felony....... and I'm sorry if its a lot or jus very scrambled. I want the best for my child and wife so I'm a little everywhere with this but I'm looking forward to this response thank you.


Ernesto


  Felon wants a Military Career



Hello Ernesto,

Questions 1, 2 and 4 are best answered by an attorney. Often ex-offenders and felons looking for jobs need legal assistance. I suggest contacting your local legal aid office. There you will probably be able to get low-cost or low-cost legal advice. They may be also be able to answer questions about ex-offenders and felons getting professional certifications. 

Felon wants a Military Career
Just a note on expungement, it is not an option in every state.  Even in states which allow them, often they are limited.  For example, in New Jersey, where I am, one is allowed only one felony expungement.  It cannot even be applied for until ten years after the termination of the sentence.  Expungement is not a cure all.  Even if one is granted, the conviction will always be visible to the court system, government agencies and law enforcement.

Felon wants a Military Career
Don't give up on a military career. The military often accepts ex-offenders and felons and there are many career options. Your best option is the Army. The Army seems to be the most liberal as it relates to accepting ex-offenders and felons. Contact you local Army recruiter to inquire about your eligibility.

I hope this helps.



Jobs for Ex-offenders and Felons: Employment Background Checks: Know Your Rights


Jobs for ex-offenders and Felons: Expungement of Criminal Records

 
Companies that hire Felons





Felon wants a Military Career



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Wednesday, September 30, 2020

Ex-offenders, Felons, Expungement and Jobs

Ex-offenders, Felons, Expungement and Jobs



Ex-offenders, Felons, Expungement and Jobs
I get a lot of questions from ex-offenders and felons regarding expungement.  It is a common belief that getting an expungement is the answer to their employment woes.  Some believe that if they can only get one, they can have their criminal record erased and they can get jobs to move on with their
Ex-offenders, Felons, Expungement and Jobs lives.  There are lawyers who make lots of money from felons and their families hoping to have some miracle worked and their records will gone forever.  Since most employers do background checks, having a clean record will make getting a job easier.  Having certain convictions on your record may be the difference between getting hired for a job or not.  Lets explore some common myths and uncover the facts about expungement.


Myth #1:  Criminal Records are Automatically Erased After a Certain Number of Years


I am not aware of any state that erases records after automatically.  In fact no records are ever removed, they may be made inaccessible to the public.  There must be legal action taken if there any sealing of records.  There is an application process that completed for any type of action to be considered.  Nothing happens automatically.

Myth #2:  Any Records can be Expunged


Expungement is a legal process that not available in all states.  These processes will vary from state to state as to which records can be sealed or expunged.  For example, in NJ where I am, only one felony can be expunged and the waiting period is ten years from the completion of the sentence.  In some states no records can expunged and in others only arrests not convictions can be sealed.

Myth #3:  An Attorney is not Needed 


Never attempt any legal procedure by yourself.  To be certain that any legal  process is done properly, You should always seek the help of a qualified  professional with experience in this field.

Myth #4:  Federal Convictions can be Expunged


Federal convictions can in no way shape or form be expunged or sealed.  The only action that can be taken is to seek a presidential pardon and very few are granted. 


Myth #5:  Expungement Erases Criminal Records


With expungement, sealing or any other process, records will never be erased or destroyed.  Even though certain records will be hidden from the public, they will always be visible to the court system, government agencies and law enforcement.



Ex-offenders, Felons, Expungement and Jobs
This a brief list of common myths associated with the the expungement or sealing of recordsBear in mind that these processes are not available in every state.  Every state has its own statutes regarding the treatment of criminal records.  If you are interested in finding out if you are a candidate for expungement, I suggest speaking to an attorney about availability in your state.  I also suggest that you contact your local legal aid office where you may qualify for free advice about this or even help getting it done.  Most legal aid offices are staffed by young attorneys who are anxious to help and gain valuable experience.  To find your local legal aid office, check your telephone directory or contact the bar association in your state.



Jobs for Felons: Understanding How Employers Analyze Your Records

Jobs for Felons: Expungement - A Way to Erase Your Criminal Record

Jobs for Felons: Criminal Record Expungement & Federal Pardons 



companies that hire felons


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Ex-offenders, Felons, Expungement and Jobs

Eric Mayo








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Monday, June 22, 2020

Female Felon Seeks a Job

Female Felon Seeks a Job


Female Felon Seeks a Job
Hi,

My name is Melissa I'm from Philly I do have a criminal record. I got into some trouble when I was 18 years old and was found guilty of aggravated assault, possessing instrument of a crime, simple assault, criminal conspiracy, reckless endangering another person. I was given 11 months jail time.


I thought I needed to better my self because I knew it wasn't gonna be easy trying to find work so I went back to school when I was 26 and got my high school diploma and went to school for cosmetology and completed it also in '07. I'm 28 now single mom of 2 year old twins my question is on my record there are a lot of charges that I wasn't found guilty of and next to them it says nolle prossed.  Is there any way that I can get those removed because it looks really bad with all these charges on there and I think this might be the reason why my luck hasn't been good.

Is there a program out there that has job leads only for ex-offenders if so please put me down. 



 Female Felon Seeks a Job




Hello Melissa,
Female Felon Seeks a Job

I'm sorry you are having so much trouble. As I suggest to ex-offenders and felons looking for jobs is to apply to small companies. Surely there are hundreds of small salons in Philadelphia that can use a hard-working person with a cosmetology degree. You may have to be willing to start off at the bottom, perhaps shampooing and cleaning up. It may not be what you want right away but it's a start. Pick up the phone book and start making a list of salons to visit. Have some business cards made up and leave them with salon owners advertising that you will work on an on call basis if there are no permanent positions available.


You may want to the Philadelphia Re-entry Coalition.  There you will find a list of resources that can help ex-offenders and felon.  You can get more information here: https://www.philadelphiareentrycoalition.org

 In Pennsylvania, under some circumstances, you may be able to have a criminal record expunged, which means that information is removed from your record.  If you are eligible to have your records expunged, you may petition the court for an order of expungement. I suggest seeking legal assistance from a qualified attorney. You may be able to free or low-cost help at your local legal aid office. You can get more information here:

https://clsphila.org/services/criminal-record-expungement/

I hope this helps

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Lady Felon needs Job Search Help


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Wednesday, May 20, 2020

Felon wants to expunge federal and state convictions

Felon wants to expunge federal and state convictions


The price of a second chance; expungement explained
The Job Market is Cold Blooded out here. I need help I have lost my Job, my Apartment. When people know that you have a record they will not respect you as a working class person. I was fired so a Chef could get my job. I had been there almost one month. I told the Chef about my record he was like can you pass a Drug test I was sure. I passed. I told him my charge was over 20 years old he was like don't worry about that. The Sous Chef wanted my job for his friend so he had the Chef's boss do a background check and the fired me saying I was not doing my job. Two months later I run into a old co - worker they said I was fired because of my record. It's hard out here.




Felon wants to expunge federal and state convictions



I have good news and bad news. You may have a possibility of having your state record expunged. Often ex-offender and felon job searches begin with some legal assistance. Check with your local legal aid office to see if you are eligible in your state. There you can get the best information on the expungement process as it relates to your state. If possible, you may also get help getting that done there. As far as your federal charges, there is no such thing as the expungement of federal records. You may apply for a federal pardon, but they are rarely given.

Be tough in your job search. Apply to every restaurant you can think of. Even a blind man will hit something if he throws enough rocks.

Take a look at the video below.  You will find some possible places that ex-offenders and felons can get some job leads.

 I'm sorry I couldn't be more helpful.

Jobs for Ex-offenders and Felons: Where can Ex-offenders Find Jobs

Jobs for Ex-offenders and Felons: Ten Steps to Getting a Job with a Criminal Record




companies that hire felons



companies that hire felons



Felon wants to expunge federal and state convictions

This Book Has Helped Thousands of Felons Get Jobs ! You can get a copy of this book for as little as $5.00 Click Here!

Felon wants to expunge federal and state convictions


 Companies Hire Felons | Companies That Hire Felons | Companies That Hire Ex-offenders | Employers That Hire Ex-offenders | Employers That Hire Felons | Jobs For Felons | Jobs For Ex-offenders | Jobs That Hire Felons | Places That Hire Felons | Felon Friendly Jobs | Felon Friendly Employers | Jobs for Felons | Jobs For People That Have Felonies | Jobs For People With A Criminal Record | Expungement | Second Chance Jobs for Felons

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Thursday, December 19, 2019

Felon with deferred conviction wants job advice

Felon with deferred conviction wants job advice

Hello,

I found your web page to be informational and also motivational. I was charged with theft and it is deferred I have not completed my probation, but my question is when I complete the probation and finish paying all my fines. I am wondering if it make sense at all to go back to school to become an ADN, LVN or counselor. I am wonder if these jobs will hire me with this charge. Or would you send me some information about expungement. Would that apply for me and how should I go about it.

Thank you for your help in advance. I have applied for so many jobs. I can't count and I get turned down time and time again.

Sincerely

Melinda


Felon with deferred conviction wants job advice



Hello Melinda,

Generally speaking, when the terms of deferred sentences are met (in most cases, a fine and probation,) charges are formally dropped. If you are unsure of the terms, you should contact the prosecutor assigned to your case.

Once the terms are met, there will be no conviction simply a dropped charge. In most cases, employers are only interested in convictions. If there are provisions in your state for expungement or sealing, it won't hurt to apply for it. Many ex-offenders and felons looking for jobs need legal help. Contact your local legal aid office to find out if this is an option for you.


I hope this helps.




  Jobs for Ex-offenders and Felons: Employment Background Checks: Know Your Rights


Jobs for ex-offenders and Felons: Expungement of Criminal Records

 
Companies that Hire Felons


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Felon with deferred conviction wants job advice

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Monday, September 30, 2019

Expungement could help felons get Jobs

 Expungement could help felons get Jobs

Expungement could help felons get Jobs


Hello Sir:

I was convicted of felony in 2009 for possession and delivery of narcotics, I served 26 months and everything has been well for me until 2019. I have been having a hard time getting a job in my field of study, which is computer science. I am enclosing my resume so that you can take a look at all of the places I have worked, but can't seem to find work because of the intense background checks now. ONE Conviction 21 Years ago man it's hard. 

Please Advise. 

Thank you.



 Expungement could help felons get Jobs




Hello Jason,

Looking at your background, your inability to find work may be due to other factors. Some convictions are more difficult to work with than others.  Take a look at the first video below.  It will give you an idea of what I mean.  

For many ex-offenders and felons looking for jobs, expungement may help. Expungement will not erase your conviction but it may keep it off of the average background check. You can find more information here:

http://courts.michigan.gov/scao/selfhelp/intro/criminal/setaside_help.htm


I would not attempt this alone. You may be able to get low-cost or even low-cost assistance at your local legal aid office.


I hope this helps




Jobs for Felons: The Facts about Companies that Hire Ex offenders and Felons (2019)





Jobs for Ex-offenders and Felons: Employment Background Checks: Know Your Rights

Jobs for ex-offenders and Felons: Expungement of Criminal Records

 
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Expungement could help felons get Jobs

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Wednesday, February 20, 2019

Scrubbing The Past To Give Those With A Criminal Record A Second Chance

Scrubbing The Past To Give Those With A Criminal Record A Second Chance Latosha Poston says she made a lot of mistakes in her life. Her legal troubles began in her teens after her first child was born in Indianapolis. Over the years, bad decisions led to some arrests, some convictions.
Barbara Brosher/Indiana Public Media

Latosha Poston says she made a lot of mistakes in her life. Her legal troubles began in her teens after her first child was born in Indianapolis. Over the years, bad decisions led to some arrests, some convictions.

"Sometimes we get stuck in our past and let our past guide us," she says.

The 44-year-old has worked hard to straighten out her life. But her criminal records — all involving misdemeanors — continued to haunt her as she tried to find a decent job and place to live.

Then, while watching the local news, she heard about Indiana's Second Chance law, passed in 2013. It allows people to petition to remove their misdemeanor convictions and arrests from public view.

Indiana is among several states to change their approach to the restoration of a person's rights and status after an arrest or conviction. In the last two years, more than 20 states have expanded or added laws to help people move on from their criminal records — most involve misdemeanors. Marijuana legalization and decriminalization have played a big role in driving these reforms. Fairness is another factor, with lawmakers from both parties rethinking the long-term consequences of certain criminal records, as well as the economic impact of mass incarceration.

There are also purely economic reasons to encourage the sealing of criminal records.

"It hurts communities, it hurts counties and it hurts states if their citizens cannot be productively employed or aren't part of the tax base," says American University law professor Jenny Roberts, who has written extensively on the collateral consequences of convictions. "So there's certainly an economic incentive for allowing people to move beyond their criminal record."

The state-level reforms have helped tens of thousands of people across the United States.

Poston of Indianapolis is among them. After working in home health care for nearly 20 years and making just over $11 an hour, she landed a much better-paying job in a hospital as an operating room assistant once her records were sealed.

"I felt like something was lifted off," she says of her case. "Because now I kind of felt like a human."

With background checks ubiquitous for jobs, schools, mortgage applications and more, even one conviction — and sometimes even just one arrest — can dog people for years, critics say, relegating them to permanent second-class status.

"No one should underestimate how much even the most minor of misdemeanor convictions — including marijuana or trespassing or any kind of conviction — can affect someone's ability to get a job, to get housing and to function fully in society," says Roberts, who also co-directs the Criminal Justice Clinic at American University in Washington, D.C.

Time for change

The reform trend reflects an emerging consensus that the social and economic problems created by mass prosecution and incarceration call for a fundamental reimagining of the criminal justice system.

While reformers largely welcome the moves by states, there's concern that a patchwork of laws as well as steep legal fees, prosecutorial foot-dragging and other barriers have blunted what is otherwise seen as a rare area of bipartisan, effective reform.


Scrubbing The Past To Give Those With A Criminal Record A Second Chance
The Expungement Help Desk in Indianapolis helps people with criminal records file petitions to get their records expunged or sealed.
Barbara Brosher/Indiana Public Media
"The states are really all over the map on this stuff, and they're all reinventing the wheel," says attorney Margaret Love, executive director of the Collateral Consequences Resource Center and an expert on clemency and restoration of rights.

She and others are calling on the National Conference of State Legislatures, the National Center for State Courts and the American Bar Association to study and share what reforms are showing the most promising outcomes.

"Right now it's getting harder for state legislatures to pick out a single approach," Love says. "We have to start looking at this in a more systematic way and look at what works best."

For example, there's a growing body of evidence that it undermines public safety if you don't help people move beyond their criminal records and participate in the workforce. Without that help, the chance of people returning to the criminal justice system increases.

One study estimates that the unemployment rate for formerly incarcerated people is more than 27 percent — far higher than the total U.S. unemployment rate during any historical period, including the Great Depression. The rate is even higher for African-Americans who've had run-ins with the law.

With the national jobless rate at historical lows, many companies are looking at new ways to hire additional workers. A recent survey showed that more than 80 percent of managers — and two-thirds of human resource professionals — "feel that the value workers with criminal records bring to the organization is as high as or higher than that of workers without records."

Indiana's example

As in many other states, the work of sealing and expungement in Indiana mostly falls to nonprofit legal groups and private attorneys. But in Marion County, the prosecutor's office has hired a full-time paralegal to process all requests. The county has had more than 11,500 people come through since legislators implemented the law.

While the mood nationally surrounding expungement has dramatically improved, some prosecutors and judges remain skeptical or outright opposed to records clearing. Philosophically they don't think those who've broken the law should get a clean slate.

So it helps a lot that in Marion County, which encompasses Indianapolis, Prosecutor Terry Curry fully supports the effort. He advocated for the law because he thinks people who've stayed out of trouble shouldn't carry the legal stain forever.

"If our goal is to have individuals not reoffend, then in our mind it's appropriate to remove obstacles that are going to inhibit their ability to become productive members of our community," Curry says.

While most cases in Indiana involve misdemeanors, judges have discretion with violent-felony petitions. Victims of those crimes also can give testimony. More serious felonies can be expunged eight or 10 years after the completion of the sentence.

Some crimes must have the prosecutor's written consent for expungement. Homicides and some sexual offenses are not eligible for expungement in Indiana and in most other states.

You can petition to have records for convictions expunged only once in your lifetime. If you are convicted of other charges later on, there's no chance of having them sealed.

While the process in Indiana and in other states seems simple, serious hurdles remain. Expungement can be time consuming and costly. There are filing fees for every petition — fees not everyone can afford.

In addition, the process can vary from county to county depending on cooperation from local prosecutors. Advocates in Indiana want lawmakers to make it easier for people to expunge their records — regardless of where they are in the state.

Getting the word out

Even more vexing — in Indiana and throughout the country — is the general ignorance about existing expungement laws. People just don't know they exist or how they work.

Public defenders from New York to Los Angeles say they have to do a better job of both getting the word out and pushing states to better fund these efforts.

At a recent LA-area expungement clinic, a man showed up who'd done significant prison time for a nonviolent felony. And he'd been off probation for more than five years. He still couldn't get a job. The man, who didn't want his name used, thought at first the expungement clinic was some kind of scam.

"He had no idea he could not only get it [the felony] expunged but reduced to a misdemeanor," says Los Angeles County Deputy Public Defender Lara Kislinger, who was helping him with the paperwork. "He just had no idea. And he was so grateful. And he's been having so much trouble finding a job. And we want people to be able to re-enter society and be productive members of society. And this was a case where it was so obvious it was holding up jobs — and life. And it's tragic."

Expanding public knowledge of sealing and expungement laws takes money and effort. Many public defender offices already are overwhelmed, understaffed and underresourced.

How long should a record last?

Across the nation, felonies are harder to expunge and involve longer waiting periods, and in many states, homicides and certain sexual offenses are almost impossible to expunge.
Scrubbing The Past To Give Those With A Criminal Record A Second Chance
Jay Jordan, 33, is the director of the #TimeDone/Second Chances project for the nonprofit Californians for Safety and Justice. The clinic involves public defenders who volunteer to help people get their criminal charges or records reduced or expunged.
Philip Cheung for NPR
There's a new push in some states to clear some felony convictions, especially nonviolent ones.

California has taken the lead in reducing incarceration and prosecution of certain low-level drug crimes and nonviolent felonies following the passage of Proposition 47 and other measures. Past offenders can petition a court to reduce their crimes to misdemeanors.

Supporters say it has helped reduce the prison population and racial disparities in the justice system while saving taxpayers money. Funds are redirected, for example, into support services such as drug treatment and counseling.

Others say Proposition 47, while a good start, is inadequate. Jay Jordan of Los Angeles served seven years in prison for robbery. He has been out now for nearly eight years and says he still faces daunting obstacles to full re-entry into society.

"You know, I tried to adopt and was turned down. Tried to volunteer at school and was turned down. Tried [to] sell insurance, was turned down. Tried to sell used cars, was turned down. So, you know, every single step of the way when I try to better myself and, you know, be able to take care of myself for my family, there are these massive barriers," Jordan says. "And I'm not alone."

Indeed, there are some 8 million formerly incarcerated people in California. In the U.S., it's estimated that there are some 60 million people with a criminal record, according to federal statistics. The majority are misdemeanors. One report estimates as many people have criminal records as college diplomas.

Jordan now works for a nonprofit that advocates for rights of the formally incarcerated. In their work, Jordan and others are asking the basic question — how long should these convictions be on people's records if they've done their time and are working to become good citizens?

Not everyone wants these reforms. In California, some want to roll back parts of the state's criminal justice reforms through a proposed 2020 ballot initiative that would, among other things, reduce the number of inmates who can seek earlier parole and reclassify some theft crimes from misdemeanors to felonies.

"Proposition 47 was approved overwhelmingly by California voters who understood that permanently punishing people for a past mistake is not reflective of our shared American values nor is it an effective safety strategy," says Jordan, who directs Californians for Safety and Justice's #TimeDone/Second Chances campaign.

"Everyone who has an old, low-level, nonviolent felony on their record that is eligible for reduction to a misdemeanor under Prop. 47 should be able to get relief, and we want to make that as easy as we possibly can for folks," he says. "People deserve the chance to overcome the mistakes of their past, and that road to redemption should be as smooth as possible."

Some Democratic lawmakers in California are pushing back with proposed legislation that would automate the expungement process for all felonies that are eligible for reduction under the law.

Legal experts like Roberts, the American University law professor, caution that the best solution might be for prosecutors to simply take fewer minor cases to court in the first place.

"I don't think you can have an actual conversation about sealing and expungement and decriminalization until you talk about less prosecution and less funneling of low-level misdemeanors into the criminal justice system," Roberts says.


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Scrubbing The Past To Give Those With A Criminal Record A Second Chance




Eric Mayo

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