High Fees, Long Waits Cast Shadow Over New Criminal Expungement Laws
Date:  11-30-2023

One state is facing a backlog of approximately 46,000 expungement applications, and has fallen up to two years behind in processing
From Stateline

More states are making it easier for residents to clear or seal their criminal records.

The effort has drawn bipartisan support, as lawmakers across the political spectrum say it will help people find jobs and housing, in turn boosting local economies and reducing reliance on social services.

“Folks that get out of jail or prison with criminal records, it’s like getting out with the handcuffs still on,” Keith Wallington, the director of advocacy with the Justice Policy Institute, a nonprofit criminal justice research and advocacy group, told Stateline. Continue reading >>>