Why could it be helpful to “clean up” my criminal record?

In general, cleaning up your criminal record can reduce many of the damaging effects associated with having a criminal history:

Cleaning up your record can hide criminal records from certain people who run background checks on you—meaning most private employers, private landlords, and other private individuals or companies will NOT be able to see much of the information in your record.

Cleaning up your record may allow you to say that you were never convicted of a particular offense; and/or may restore many of the rights that you lost because of a conviction (for example, voting rights, right to sit on a jury service, gun rights, etc.)

Cleaning up your record can reduce or remove the legal restrictions that prevent you from getting certain jobs and professional licenses.

Cleaning up your record will make it easier to rebuild your life, move forward, and maximize your opportunities for success in the future. The first step toward cleaning up your criminal record is understanding the different types of records you may have and the information that may be in them.