The governor has signed a bill to expunge juvenile arrest records.
It requires the State Police to expunge the arrest records annually of those over 18 who were arrested as juveniles and never charged, charged but not convicted, or who were convicted of minor offenses and completed supervision.
“This is a major piece of legislation that pushes us in the right direction with regard to creating that distinction between juvenile and adult offenses and creating the opportunity for a second chance,” said State Sen. Kwame Raoul (D-Chicago) (pictured).
The law also establishes a mechanism for affected individuals to check with the State Police to see if their records which should have been expunged actually were, and for the State Police to provide documentation for them to bring to the local police department that arrested them, if necessary, to get their name cleared under the law.
Raoul says arrest records can prevent someone from getting into school or getting a student loan, getting a job or getting housing, even if the individual did nothing wrong.