Santa Barbara residents delete their records as part of a multi-agency initiative – edhat

The Santa Barbara County District Attorney’s Office, Santa Barbara County Probation Department, Santa Barbara County Public Defender’s Office, Santa Barbara Defenders, People’s Justice Project, CRLA, and Colleges of Law – Santa Barbara will host a free Clean Slate Clinic for Santa Barbara County residents to expunge criminal records, reduce felony offenses, and seal criminal records on Friday, October 4, 2024 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on the campus of Colleges of Law – Santa Barbara at 20 East Victoria Street, Santa Barbara, CA 93101.

The purpose of the Clean Slate Clinic is to reduce barriers to job searches and housing for people with criminal records. A criminal record – no matter how old or how minor – can pose a significant hurdle for people to re-enter the workforce when most employers, property managers and universities conduct background checks to screen applicants.

“Our office is committed to helping people lead productive and engaged lives while putting public safety first. Criminal records that can now be legally expunged can prevent people from finding jobs or housing,” said Santa Barbara County District Attorney John T. Savrnoch. “By working with local legal agencies to help individuals who are legally eligible to have their criminal records expunged, we are demonstrating our commitment to economic opportunity in Santa Barbara County’s diverse communities while protecting public safety,” he said.

“The additional stability that comes from creating a job and a place to live can go a long way toward reducing recidivism, which in turn promotes public safety and improves the overall quality of life for all members of our community,” said Anne Nudson, Assistant District Attorney.

“The important debt repayment services offered at our Clean Slate Clinic on October 4, 2024 are a step toward removing some of the systemic barriers that hinder a person’s ability to pursue higher education, gainful employment, and stable housing. These individual benefits can help break the cycle of poverty and improve the situation for future generations. Debt repayment can mean the difference between living paycheck to paycheck and being able to save for a child’s education, get health insurance for a family, and save for retirement.

“By giving individuals a fair chance to move forward without being burdened by past misdeeds, we are ultimately investing in the future of our community,” said Santa Barbara County Public Defender Tracy Macuga.

“A criminal record presents a significant and permanent barrier to individuals who have completed their sentence,” said Santa Barbara County Probation Officer Holly Benton. “By expunging criminal records, we help members of our community become full and productive members of society again and put their past offenses behind them,” she said.

“Expungement of criminal records is critical to ensuring that the collateral consequences of a criminal record are eliminated or significantly reduced for millions of people trying to rebuild their lives for a successful future. The negative impact of an unrepaired criminal conviction on the ever-changing employment and housing markets, not to mention the areas of immigration, education, litigation, professional licensing and even travel, can hardly be overstated,” said William C. Makler, attorney and president of the Santa Barbara Defenders.

“Even a misdemeanor conviction or a probation violation disqualifies a person from a wide range of benefits and opportunities,” said Joseph Doherty, senior attorney at CRLA, president of the People’s Justice Project and professor of law at the Colleges of Law.

Under federal law, any violation of probation for any type of offense will result in a person’s exclusion from social services, including Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (“TANF”), food stamps, public housing, and Supplemental Income for the Elderly and Disabled. The consequences of a drug conviction are particularly severe and can include loss of health insurance, welfare, and student aid. Another benefit of this work we’ve seen is that community members whose expungement requests are approved don’t end up back in the criminal justice system.

Criminal record expungement offers numerous benefits to individuals convicted of certain misdemeanors and felonies. When applying for most jobs, individuals who have successfully expunged their criminal record can legally answer “no” when asked if they have been convicted of a felony. In addition, an employer is not permitted to consider an expunged conviction discovered through a background check when making a hiring decision.

An expungement also benefits those seeking state professional licensure. Of course, even after an expungement, in many cases a person must disclose a conviction in response to a question on an application for a state license (such as a contractor, real estate agent or massage therapist) or on an application for public office. However, many licensing boards tend to look more favorably on individuals who have successfully completed probation and whose convictions have been expunged. In addition, under California law, “a person may not be denied a license because of a conviction or because of acts that gave rise to the conviction” if the conviction has been expunged.

“Criminal record expungement services allow individuals equal access to legal counsel and justice, and our law students are an essential part of that access,” said Jackie Gardina, dean of the Colleges of Law at Santa Barbara. “Through our law school’s Clean Slate Clinics, community members feel heard and seen during the expungement process, a feeling many have never had before.”

The California Policy Lab estimates that nearly one in eight Californians with a criminal record may be eligible for a full expungement of their criminal record; an estimated 81% of Californians with a criminal record are eligible for expungement of at least one prior arrest or conviction.

If you are interested in having your criminal record expunged, please schedule an appointment for treatment at the Santa Barbara Clean Slate Clinic on October 4, 2024 at (805) 902-CRLA or [email protected]. Walk-in visits are welcome, but appointments are strongly preferred.