National News
Getting a Job with a Criminal Record
October 30, 2015 posted by Steve Brownstein
Dozens of people in Peoria will get a chance at a better future.
The community resource center, MeTec, hosted an expungement and sealing workshop Wednesday afternoon.
Organizers hope to give those with a criminal record a fresh start, by erasing and sealing certain criminal cases.
Nearly 40 people came out to today's event.
They want to have their minor offenses removed from their records and appear as better candidates for jobs.
And while many of them didn't want to go on camera, one city official tells me the program is helping more than just the offender.
"A lot of mis-information is out there, a lot of understanding needs to happen,” said councilwoman Denise Moore.
Understanding and learning. Both big factors in getting people with criminal records good jobs.
"The unemployment rate in our city, is greater than the national average, and the unemployment rate in the African American community is four or five times higher what it is in the city of Peoria,” Moore said.
That's where MeTec is working on making a difference.
The resource center aims to take certain crimes off people's records.
There's a wide range of what qualifies.
"The new one is battery, aggravated battery, if it's a misdemeanor, can be expunged, there's some drug cases that can be expunged, some retail thefts and quite a few others,” said Employment Coach, Barry Robinson.
The list changes each year, but the goal stays the same.
They want the people in this room to find themselves a job, soon.
A job that their record might have kept them from before this program.
"You could be an employer and find yourself turning a lot of people away and maybe wondering, well, I wonder if I could have hired them, I wonder if this is something that person could have done to make themselves more attractive to be hired,” Moore said.
But they say, it all starts with a chance.
"Once they realize that there is hope, to get something expunged or sealed off their background, it gives them, you can see a different look on their face, you can see a different glint in their eyes, at least they have hope,” Robinson said.
Organizers say the program has already helped close to a dozen people this year.
They say it's a small step into helping unemployment.
