Record expungement law now in effect in Pa.

(Harrisburg) — A law that aims to give ex-offenders of low-level crimes a better foothold in society is now in effect in Pennsylvania.

The law allows people who have been convicted of non-violent misdemeanors to have their criminal record sealed from public view, if they have served their punishment and have stayed out of the criminal justice system for 10 years.

The legislation’s prime sponsor, Republican Senator Stewart Greenleaf, says the measure will help these people get assistance, housing, loans, and jobs that would otherwise be out of reach.

“The job market is so competitive these days that if you go down and have 20, 30, 50 applications for a job and they see that you have a criminal record, you’re out,” he says.

Greenleaf says the law will reduce recidivism and lower corrections costs for the state by allowing this population to fully rejoin society.