Criminal records are typically public and permanent, especially for felonies. This can cause convicted individuals to face a number of challenges well beyond their sentences that prevent them from rehabilitating and reintegrating into society.

The Clean Slate Act can help ensure that New Yorkers aren’t unfairly punished and that they have an opportunity to create a meaningful life after fulfilling their sentences. Here’s what to know about the Clean Slate Act and how a New York criminal defense attorney can help you fight charges after an arrest.

What Is the Clean Slate Act?

Many states, including Pennsylvania, Utah, and Michigan have passed Clean Slate laws that make it easier for individuals convicted of a crime to restart their lives following the completion of their court-ordered sentences.

Under the Act, people with a criminal record who have fulfilled their original sentence, and have been released from incarceration and conviction-free for a specified period of time will automatically have those records sealed. Currently, this is a process that requires a complicated application and a legal representative to file it. This is costly and often unattainable for many struggling New Yorkers post-conviction.

Clean Slate Denied For New Yorkers In 2021

Unfortunately, the bill for Clean Slate New York failed to pass the state’s end-of-year legislative session. However, constituents and their state representatives remain hopeful that the bill will be passed in 2022. With exceptions in place for law enforcement’s access to criminal records, or records needed for the purchase of firearms, and three to seven-year waiting periods, public safety is not considered to be at risk.

If passed in 2022, Clean Slate New York would create a number of employment opportunities nearly overnight and would improve local and state economies. Studies show that states with more criminal records than others also have lower employment rates, too. Those eligible for their records to be sealed under the Clean Slate Act are already well out of prison and have paid their debts to society. The Act promises to make getting a job, renting an apartment, or taking out a loan easier for people who haven’t been involved in criminal activity for a significant length of time.

Arrested? Call a New York Criminal Defense Lawyer Now

Were you arrested for a criminal offense? Your freedoms are on the line and if you lose, you could be incarcerated, fined, and more. Your future depends on the legal maneuvers you make now. Experienced New York criminal defense attorney Scott Cerbin can help defend your rights after an arrest. Don’t wait. Call today at 718-596-1829.