Congressman Steve Cohen (TN-09), a senior member of the Judiciary Committee, today reintroduced the Fresh Start Act, a bill to permit the expungement of the records of certain non-violent offenses.
Congressman Cohen made the following statement:
“In America, even if you commit a non-violent offense, you may face a life sentence. That’s because the stigma of a conviction will follow you around for the rest of your life. Employment, education, and housing opportunities -- the very things necessary to start your life anew -- can all be denied on the basis of a conviction in your past. The collateral consequences of conviction in our criminal justice system are far reaching and fall disproportionately on people of color.
“Allowing people who have made a mistake earlier in their life, and have paid their debt to society, to wipe the slate clean is an essential part of shaping a more just criminal legal system.”
The Fresh Start Act allows offenders to apply for expungement to the court where they were sentenced and allows the United States Attorney for that district to submit recommendations to the court. If an applicant is denied expungement, he or she may reapply once every two years. It also creates a process to automatically expunge the records of those who committed more minor crimes and fulfilled the terms of their sentence seven or more years ago.
Original source can be found here.
