A clean slate doesn’t come cheap to most people with criminal records. It can take a lot of time and money to petition a judge to expunge a charge. Fortunately, states are beginning to notice the damaging repercussions that low-level criminal charges are having on their citizens. Connecticut is the most recent state to jump on the bandwagon with a “clean slate” proposal that would expunge criminal records for those who qualify.
Supporters of the bill gathered in Hartford to express their feelings about the proposal, explaining that those who pay their debts to society should be eligible for a fresh start. A poll conducted of Connecticut voters showed they strongly support erasing criminal records once the offenders go a certain amount of time without committing another crime. Discrimination comes in many forms, but a quite overlooked form is that of people with criminal records who just want a fresh start at a productive life.
People who have records are engaged in a constant battle of trying to overcome the burden of their charges. If someone was arrested and convicted of a non-violent crime, did their time, paid their debt to society, and remained law-bidding citizens after, why should they have to continue to suffer from a record? Connecticut is trying to fix the discrimination of the criminal justice system by expunging the records of low-level crimes. Someone shouldn’t spend their whole life with a scarlet letter on their job application for a simple mistake.
Expunging non-violent crimes for those who have paid their debts and remain law-abiding citizens will help to reduce recidivism rates by putting people to work and preventing them from returning to a life of crime. Easy Expunctions knows how much a criminal record can affect employment, housing, and education opportunities. If you’re battling with your criminal record, we can help you identify qualifying charges to clear. We offer a free background check to get you started and can work directly with you in cleaning up your record so you can have the fresh start you deserve.
