I want to underscore a recent letter that advocates for reducing crime without expanding prisons. (“Readers respond: Cut crime without expanding prisons,” June 27) As an attorney with Metropolitan Public Defender, I work with people trying to rebuild their lives. I am painfully aware of how a minor or decades old record can prevent critical access to housing, employment and stability.
Like most states, Oregon law allows people to expunge some records. However, the antiquated petition-based system can be expensive, complex and traumatic. As a result, only a small fraction of people eligible to obtain relief actually do. In January, 2022 the law was updated to make it easier to apply, but increased applications have backlogged the outdated system.
The solution is “Clean Slate” legislation that automatically seals or expunges eligible cases if individuals maintain a clean criminal record for a set period of time. Automation laws have passed in seven states.
Record-clearing is life-changing for my clients. An analysis of Michigan data showed people are more likely to be employed and earn an average 22 percent higher wages a year after expungement. Access to stable housing and employment reduces recidivism. This is how expungement automation could cut crime without prison expansion. Through automation, lawmakers could help people avoid a lifetime sentence of poverty, expand Oregon’s workforce, and allow people to move forward with their lives.
Sonja Good Stefani, Hood River
