Idaho

The advantages of a clean record go way beyond what most people realize. The sad fact is that one simple mistake can take years and years to recover from. One of the biggest downfalls of a messy criminal record is that people miss out on employment opportunities. The second an employer sees that you checked the box saying you’ve been charged with a felony, your application is oftentimes thrown out the window.

A new Boise bill that was unanimously approved requires employers to consider someone’s qualifications for a position before asking them to disclose their criminal history. The bill is being called the Fair Chance Employment Act and it aims to help those who have been previously incarcerated return to the workforce. A lot of applicants with criminal records are taken out of consideration before the rest of their application is even read—the Fair Chance Employment Act states that an employer can’t ask about prior convictions until the applicant has been deemed a potential job candidate.

Those who have done their time and paid their debt to society should be welcomed back into the workforce. Imagine being convicted of a non-violent offense at the age of 20 and suffering from it until you’re old and grey. That’s not the way our criminal justice system should operate. People can find themselves in the wrong places at the wrong times, people can make mistakes, and people can act without thinking—especially when they’re young. These people deserve the chance to reintegrate back into society without falling victim to the growing recidivism rates.

If you have a criminal record that’s holding you back, Easy Expunctions might be able to help you out. We offer a free background check to get you started, and then work directly with you to find charges that qualify for expungement. A 20-year-old mistake can come back to haunt you at any time, so it’s highly beneficial to make sure your mistakes are wiped clean. Visit www.easyexpunctions.com to learn more about our multiple, affordable, record-clearing packages.

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There’s a reason more than half of prisoners end up returning to prison within five years of their release: It’s hard for them to make their way back into society when their criminal record prevents them from doing so. When the world doesn’t greet you with open arms, and instead constantly refers to your past mistakes, it’s easy to fall back into old patterns and re-offend. This is especially true when you consider the fact that many ex-cons will be strapped for cash and therefore extra desperate to make ends meet.

A new Idaho legislation would allow certain felons to petition the courts to seal their public records so that they have access to more opportunities, Democratic Representative Ilana Rubel and Republican Senator Dave Lent are pushing hard for the “Clean Slate” bill to help aid in the success of rehabilitated criminals. Rubel stated, “The idea here is to let people get their lives back on track, so they can get jobs and get housing and move forward in a constructive way.”

The bill would only allow felons who have been convicted of nonviolent and nonsexual crimes to file a petition, and only after they’ve served their total sentences and have gone three years without reoffending. While law enforcement and judges would still be able to see the records, they would be sealed from the general public, including employers and landlords who might otherwise discriminate.

This will likely help Idaho prisoners to stay out of prison and secure legitimate employment. If society expects ex-cons to become productive workers and citizens, we have to give them the ability to do so. This bill would certainly make strides in this effort.

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