Governor Implements Crucially Needed Juvenile Reforms These new legislative actions seek to provide access to support for individuals with a criminal past who seek to improve their life situations. This package follows on the heels of another group of bills she signed earlier in the day called the Michigan Joint Task Force on Jail and Pretrial Incarceration “Smart Justice” package. One of the bills included in this signing was the Good Moral Character and Clean Slate for Kids package, which provides opportunities for a fresh start for youth caught up in juvenile court matters. "A judge can set aside restitution, but when he does that, he's accountable to the victim."Ĭonvicted offenders should be required to pay their debt to society before they are eligible for expungement.īut reformed criminals and scofflaws shouldn’t have to endure undue suffering and punishment from past failures.At the beginning of this year, Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer took further steps to reform the current criminal justice policy in the state. "To be eligible for automatic expungement, the offender must have restitution paid off to the victim," says Mueller. Michigan law currently allows for offenders to go before a judge to have restitution set aside and their records expunged. Automatic expungement would take human judgement out of the equation, putting the victims at risk of being victimized all over again. Mike Mueller, R-Linden, wanted an amendment that would require offenders to pay all restitution before being awarded automatic expungement.
The Senate, which is expected to take up the bills this week, ought to consider amending the automatic expungement bill. Graham Filler, R-DeWitt, is a lead sponsor of the package and says that it would make Michigan the national leader in expungement reform. In addition, expungement restrictions for drunken driving, first-through-third degree sexual misconduct and crimes punishable by life in prison would remain in place. Third assault convictions are set in stone. They would limit expungements for assault convictions to two. The new package of bills would increase that number to 214,000, according to estimates from Project Clean Slate, a city program that helps Detroiters obtain expungements. As it stands now, 82,000 Detroiters are eligible for expungement under current law. This legislation could have a significant impact in Detroit.
MICHIGAN CLEAN SLATE BILL FULL
Ex-cons who have paid their debts to society shouldn’t have to wait longer than necessary to be relieved of the stigma of past crimes.Īnd those with minor violations - like past marijuana convictions made irrelevant by the legalization of pot last year, or traffic violations long since paid in full - shouldn’t have to carry around the weight of the past. A criminal record is a major economic barrier to getting a job and living a normal life. The package is a big step forward for Michigan. More: Expungement reform clears Michigan House with bipartisan support In addition, it would allow ex-cons with no more than three felonies to apply to have all offenses wiped out. It would make marijuana convictions as well as low-level traffic offenses eligible for expungement.
The bill package would automate some expungements, and it would shorten the waiting period for others to three years from five.
The Senate ought to iron out a kink or two and hustle this bill to the governor's desk. The Michigan House passed a seven-bill package last week with bipartisan support that would make it possible for tens of thousands of Michiganians to clear their records of past convictions.