Illinois to Expunge Many Juvenile Arrest Records

One of the worst penalties an accused person can face is that of a lifelong criminal record. And the devastation can be felt even if charges are never filed. An arrest is enough of a blot on your record to be a setback to one's education, career, and permanent reputation. This can be true even for youths who run into trouble with law one time, and for a minor offense. Because of this, a new Illinois law will expunge, or erase, certain minor arrests from juvenile records.

An arrest can be instantly erased if:

• The arrest did not turn into an actual charge,
• If that is the only arrest a juvenile had before reaching 18 years of age, and
• If this charge was not for an alleged sex offense or any other form of serious crime.

If a juvenile with a qualifying record reached 18 years of age as of last year, their minor record can be erased.

There are still options for those who do not qualify for this new measure, however. According to the Associated Press, there were 16,000 juvenile arrests that could have been expunged in Cook County last year. Of those who eligible, a mere 661 people requested expungement. And 660 of them got this expungement. With such eligibility, and with such a success rate, thousands of people were going through life with an erasable criminal record, one that was hampering their futures.

On top of this, Governor Pat Quinn signed a law this spring that would remove a box from a great deal of job applications, the box that asks applicants if they have even been arrested or convicted of a crime before.

Find out if you are eligible for expungement today!

These mark significant advancements forward, but the fact remains that a criminal record can severely limit the rest of your life. Find out if your juvenile or adult record can be expunged when you work with our Chicago criminal lawyer! You can reach the Law Offices of Michael P. Schmiege today to schedule your free consultation.