Illinois Criminal Justice Reforms Offer Second Chances to Offenders

 Posted on September 30, 2017 in Criminal Defense

Being arrested and charged with a crime will have major, long-lasting effects on anyone’s life. When someone enters the criminal justice system, their criminal record can follow them for the rest of their life. In Illinois, nearly 50 percent of ex-offenders end up back in prison within three years due to their inability to find work.

After someone has been convicted of criminal charges and served their sentence, they may be able to have their criminal record sealed, which will improve their ability to find jobs, education, and housing. Unfortunately, the process of sealing these records is often difficult, but the state of Illinois is working to implement criminal justice reforms to address this issue.

New Illinois Criminal Justice Laws

In order to help ex-offenders return to work and avoid future prison sentences, Governor Bruce Rauner recently signed several new laws intended to help provide a second chance to these offenders. These laws include:

• House Bill 2373 allows criminal records to be sealed if a person was granted an order of supervision for a non-violent or non-sexual crime.
• House Bill 514 allows records related to charges that resulted in an acquittal or dismissal to be immediately sealed after the case is closed.
• House Bill 3817 expands the types of juvenile criminal records eligible for automatic expungement and improves the confidentiality of these records. This will allow people to move past the mistakes made in their youth and lead productive adult lives.
• House Bill 698 establishes a Prisoner Entrepreneur Education Program that will help inmates learn valuable business skills, including using computers, developing a business plan, and speaking in public. The program will also provide assistance to participants after their release from prison to help them find employment.
• House Bill 1688 helps ex-offenders obtain licenses that will help them find employment by requiring licensing agencies to consider evidence of an applicant’s rehabilitation and prohibiting the denial of a license solely because of an applicant’s criminal record.

Contact a Skokie Criminal Defense Attorney

If you have been charged with a crime, the consequences can have a far-reaching impact on your life, and even if you are not convicted, your arrest record can create difficulties for years to come. In these cases, you need an experienced defense attorney who can help you understand your rights, advise you of your best options, and work with you to get your life back on track. Contact a Chicago criminal defense lawyer at Luisi Legal Group today at 773-276-5541 to schedule a free consultation.

Sources:

https://www.illinoispolicy.org/illinois-lawmakers-pass-record-sealing-expansion/

http://markets.businessinsider.com/news/stocks/New-landmark-reform-law-will-give-youth-a-chance-to-erase-past-mistakes-and-protect-public-safety-1002283461

http://www.wandtv.com/story/36213439/governor-new-laws-help-broken-criminal-justice-system