Alabama wants to help those who have criminal records redeem themselves and find second chances to move forward. Under a new act, people who have long-ago convictions for certain low-level crimes will have the opportunity to receive expunctions.
Having a criminal record can make it challenging to find housing, get hired for jobs, and even exercise your civil rights. Alabama wants to help those who have criminal records redeem themselves and find second chances to move forward. Under a new act, people who have long-ago convictions for certain low-level crimes will have the opportunity to receive expunctions and wipe their records clean.
The Alabama Legislature approved the REDEEMER Act, short for Record Expungement Designed to Enhance Employment and Eliminate Recidivism Act. This new bill essentially expands the state's expungement policy, allowing people with certain nonviolent misdemeanors to apply for record expungement. It expands on a law that took effect in 2014 that allowed expunctions for those who had been arrested for a crime, but not convicted.
The REDEEMER Act will take effect in July of this year, allowing people to petition for expunctions. Judges are supposed to consider the nature of the offense and how much time has passed since the conviction. Though automatic expunctions are obviously preferable, this is most definitely a step in the right direction for Alabama's criminal justice system.
If you're having a hard time finding success in your personal or professional life because of an unclean criminal record, we're here to help. Reach out to us today to get the ball rolling with a free background report. From there we can determine what's on your record, and what our software can erase.