“Missourians would be eligible to have their criminal records automatically cleared of misdemeanor convictions three years after serving their sentence, and five years after serving their sentence for felonies. An estimated 518,000 Missourians would benefit within the first couple of years. If people want quicker results, they would be able to use the existing petition… Continue reading Missouri Republicans file bills to automatically expunge non-violent offenses from criminal records (Dec. 12, 2022)

by Claudia Levens “Missouri’s burdensome process for seeking an expungement has rendered record sealing inaccessible for many who are working in low-wage jobs without bargaining power. Under Missouri’s expungement law, people who have committed certain crimes have the opportunity to get those offenses sealed. When the court seals or expunges a criminal record, it is no longer… Continue reading Missouri’s expungement gap leaves people with criminal records (Nov. 23, 2022)

” Activists and experts say the newly elected first female governor of New York State has plenty of promises to deliver on when it comes to prisoner’s rights and clemency. BY REUVEN BLAU  RBLAU@THECITY.NYC After months of largely staying quiet during the unexpectedly competitive governor’s race, not wanting to give fuel to her right-wing opponent, criminal justice… Continue reading Zeldin Threat Passed, Criminal Justice Reformers Ready to Push Hochul (Nov. 11, 2022)

“Cook County is home to an estimated 1.3 million people with criminal records — those records can sometimes limit people from certain jobs, housing or even educational opportunities. The Paper Prisons Initiative estimates more than 500,000 of them are eligible to have those records cleared, but advocates say that’s not happening for many of them.”… Continue reading Permanent Punishment Conversation: Clearing Records (Oct. 8, 2022)

Erica Gunderson ” Economic sanctions. Collateral consequences. Permanent punishments. There are 44,000 restrictive federal laws, rules, and policies that continue to penalize people long after they have served their sentence in prison. Permanent Punishment, a four-part series, examines this stark reality faced by nearly 3.3 million men and women in Illinois.  Cook County is home to… Continue reading Permanent Punishment Conversation: Finding a Path Forward for the Formerly Incarcerated (Oct. 8, 2022)

“CLEAN SLATE LAWS are sweeping the country, offering many of the estimated 70 to 100 million people with a criminal record the chance to have their record expunged. The benefits seem straightforward: Making a criminal record no longer publicly available should reduce housing and employment discrimination. The policy aims to give people a second chance, especially those who were… Continue reading ‘Clean Slate’ Justice Laws Offer a Second Chance—Only to Some (Jul. 10, 2022)

“Santa Clara Law hosts an annual hackathon to help nonprofit and public sector organizations find tech solutions to inequities in the criminal justice system. Teams of engineers, lawyers and marketers make up the hacking teams that tackle these problems.” Listen to the Podcast