National News
Is expungement of criminal convictions fair for all parties?
April 16, 2015 posted by Steve Brownstein
After jumping through all the right hoops, a person with old and relatively minor criminal convictions on their record can essentially make them go away thanks to a process called expungement.
It's hardly a New Jersey-centric concept, but the Hudson County Superior Court vicinage held a free expungement clinic last month that was open to the public and "very well attended," according to the court ombudsman.
"The benefits I think are enormous, especially for an individual who has turned their life around," Blackwood-based lawyer William Nash said last week during an interview regarding the expungement process.
However, what about employers who might want to know the full background of prospective employees before bringing someone on board? For example, Nash noted those seeking a career in law enforcement would have to undergo a background check and even expunged records would then be out in the open.
Further, someone seeking an expungement needs to have all law enforcement agencies that were involved in the crime sign off on the offenses being sealed. If they don't agree, the criminal record remains.
NJ.com reader SwissArmyKnife said: "Arrests that have not resulted in a conviction, or charges that have been dismissed should be expunged automatically, as these will remain on your record."
The topic remains up for debate.
