Innocent until proven guilty is not the case in our free nation’s capital. In Washington, DC, a criminal record includes both convictions and non-convictions, meaning thousands and thousands of innocent people face significant challenges and daily hardships because of unfavorable circumstances. Adding to the disparity, DC is known to have one of the most restrictive record-sealing processes in the nation. The District’s tendency to keep justice-involved people in a vicious cycle of unemployment, unstable housing, and lower educational attainment demonstrates our nation’s contentment with the inequalities caused by flaws in the justice system.
The criminal background check process in Washington, DC is notably faulty. Approximately one in seven Washingtonians have a publicly available criminal record, with only half actually convicted of a crime. Employers often make hiring decisions based off of a criminal charge, not the conviction. If you don’t have the money to fight the charge, you’re basically forced into accepting any deal that comes your way, with little to no control over your fate. A criminal record affects more than job and housing opportunities, it can damage credit scores and leave a person with a lifetime of financial restrictions and obligations. Record-sealing is the only hope for a better life for these people, yet expungement is more difficult to achieve in DC than almost anywhere else.
Liberty and justice for all is not reflected in Washington, DC’s criminal justice system. DC showcases this painful irony in a specific example regarding an elderly Vietnam veteran who suffered from PTSD after returning home from war. The man turned to drugs to help him cope with the trauma and developed an addiction, which eventually led to several drug charges. As the veteran entered old age, he applied for housing in several nursing homes. All housing applications were denied due to drug convictions. Later, the man died in a homeless shelter. If the capital of our “free nation” refuses to protect those who fought for the nation’s protection, who is protected?
