A criminal justice reform would give thousands a clean slate — if only they would apply
A 2-year-old state measure designed to help people with certain criminal convictions seal their records has so far failed to live up to its potential in Queens and Brooklyn — even though district attorneys there have challenged just a handful of applications.
The law enables New Yorkers with no more than two misdemeanor convictions or one nonviolent felony and one misdemeanor conviction to apply to have their convictions sealed if they have not been convicted of a crime for at least 10 years. State officials said hundreds of thousands of New Yorkers would qualify when the law was enacted in October 2017. But so far, only 1,819 people statewide, including 930 in New York City, have benefited.
Two problems erode the measure’s impact, advocates say: Too few people know about the measure, and many who do apply do not actually qualify. “We need to bring this to the public’s attention,” said Manhattan Assemblymember Dan Quart, a candidate for Manhattan district attorney. “Waiting for people to come forward is not going to work.”