A criminal record will often disqualify an ex-offender from a job, even if he or she is otherwise well qualified.
House Bill 2367, filed Feb. 3, 2017, by state Rep. La Shawn Ford, D-Chicago, would allow for criminal records to be sealed for some nonviolent offenders.
A person’s ability to find work is one of the most important factors determining whether he or she stays out of the criminal-justice system and becomes a productive member of society. While almost half of ex-offenders in Illinois end up back in prison within three years of release, when an ex-offender can secure a job, the likelihood of recidivism can drop to as low as 16 percent.
Sign the petition today to tell your lawmaker to support record sealing for nonviolent offenders.