Essay On Expungement

Expungement for juvenile offenders allows people to enter into adult life without the stigma someone with a record might face (Elrod & Ryder, 2014). Court ordered expungement is a process that allows person’s arrest and/or conviction record to be sealed or erased (“Expungement Basics,” n.d.). The reasoning behind the process of expungement is to give a person, often a juvenile, a “clean slate,” so to speak. After completing of this expungement process, a person may attest that they do not have a criminal record.

Depending on the state laws and court rulings, juveniles who have their court records expunged or sealed will have a clean slate entering adulthood (“Expungement Basics,” n.d.). This is important because a criminal record may preclude them from getting a good job and/or entering a college. Furthermore, a criminal record often comes with an attached stigma that reflects negatively on the person. In these cases, a juvenile criminal record may end up a lifelong barrier that will affect their ability to live a productive adult life, and may ultimately result
Additionally, each state varies on the material that may be expunged from a person’s permanent record. Most states and the federal government allow juvenile offenders to have their criminal records expunged after meeting specific criteria (Funk & Polsby, 1997). Because of different state laws and court rulings, states differ on the exact process for the expungement for juveniles and adults criminal records (“Expungement Eligibility,” n.d.). For this reason, it is important for offenders to know and follow the law of the state and the rules of the court to be eligible for expungement. For those who are convicted and/or plead guilty to specific crimes, expungement may not be an available option in their case. This is true for many violent felonies and sex-related