|
|
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE |
|
CONTACT:
Roseann R. Cadau |
State Rep. Thaddeus
Kirkland |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Kirkland seeks to expunge minor felonies from criminal records
HARRISBURG, Feb. 27 – State Rep. Thaddeus Kirkland, D-Delaware, will reintroduce legislation that would expunge minor felonies from people’s criminal records in Pennsylvania 18 months after all conditions and penalties of their sentences have been completed.
Kirkland’s legislation would exclude major felonies including but not limited to sexual assault, rape and murder.
Kirkland said that in many cases people have changed their lives positively, but prior criminal records often prevent them from gainful employment.
“When people have committed crimes at a young age but have now bettered their lives and education levels, they can be well on their way to leading productive lives,” Kirkland said. “I want to correct the injustice brought on when citizens are barred from jobs because of things that happened when they were young and foolish.”
Kirkland said that people who would be affected by his proposal would have to have completed the terms and conditions of the sentence imposed for their offenses.
Kirkland is chairman of the Pennsylvania Legislative Black Caucus.
###rrc/2007/mjh
l:\print\releases\expungerecords.159