National News
City Launches Initiative to Expunge Criminal Records and Help with Job Searches
June 06, 2016 posted by Steve Brownstein
Criminal records can often be an impediment to getting hired. The City of Detroit wants to change that.
On Saturday, the city, along with the Detroit Employment Solutions Corporation (DESC), launched Project Clean Slate, a program designed help non-violent offenders expunge their criminal records so they can find jobs. The event was held at the Fellowship Chapel, 7707 W. Outer Drive from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
The program will be held on a quarterly basis at convenient locations throughout the city, according to a press release.
More than 100 lawyers and law students have been recruited to represent eligible applicants in court for free, the city says.
There are an estimated 70,000 Detroit residents eligible to have non-violent, criminal convictions expunged, Butch Hollowell, corporation counsel for the City of Detroit. said in a press release.
"Too often, folks who made a mistake in the past are unable to even get job interviews,” Hollowell said. “They want to work, but they can’t get started. This event will help them get their record clean and get into the job stream.”
In order to participate and get free legal representation in Wayne County Circuit Court and 36th District Court, applicants must agree to sign up with the City’s Workforce Development agency to assist in their job readiness and placement.
Washington, D.C. also has a program to expunge criminal records.
