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If you have a criminal record, read this

Jane M. Von Bergen

November 19, 2016 |

The Philadelphia Inquirer (Philadelphia Media Network) |

Text |

Under 800 Words

Response Location: United States, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

A law in Philadelphia allows people with certain misdemeanor convictions to ask a court to seal their records. This means job seekers could honestly tell prospective employers they have no criminal record and schools and landlords would not see the records either. However, law enforcement and district attorneys would still have access to the records so if a person is rearrested their history could be taken into account in setting bail or in sentencing.

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Job seekers with criminal histories thankful for expungement clinic

Aaron Moselle

November 12, 2016 |

WHYY |

Text |

Under 800 Words

Response Location: United States, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

An expungement clinic in Philadelphia allows some with criminal charges in their past to start the process of having those sealed from public view by a judge. The workshops follow the passage of Act 5, a new state law that provides an additional path to expungement besides just a pardon from the governor. Many are hopeful the process will make it easier for people with issues in their past to get jobs and become independent citizens, although there are strict guidelines in the law on who can seek expungement.

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A day to expunge criminal records is hugely popular in Philly

Jane M. Von Bergen

November 11, 2016 |

The Philadelphia Inquirer (Philadelphia Media Network) |

Text |

800-1500 Words

Response Location: United States, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

In Pennsylvania, people with certain types of misdemeanors can ask the courts to seal their records from public view. When this law was passed, a team of 175 lawyers, paralegals, and law students volunteered to help eligible people start the process of sealing their records. The event was a big hit with 1,853 people signing up for help, so many that registration had to close. Of the applicants, 1,200 will likely get their records sealed.

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‘We Failed Him': Caught in the Revolving Door of Juvenile Detention

Tim Summers, Jr.

November 09, 2016 |

Jackson Free Press |

Text |

Over 3000 Words

Response Location: United States, Jackson, Mississippi

If juveniles in the Hinds County youth-court system, whose families tend to have limited resources, cannot get sustained, meaningful help at the center, they do not have many other options. But, thanks to a lawsuit on behalf of the juveniles in the facility, the county is starting to address the lack of mental-health services - whether in facilities or starting at home with the family.

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Court Innovations' Matterhorn Allows People to Handle Court Cases Online

Stephen St.Vincent

October 12, 2016 |

The Philadelphia Citizen |

Text |

800-1500 Words

Response Location: United States, Ann Arbor, Michigan

Low-income people often miss out on court dates because they cannot afford to miss work or leave their children. Michigan and Ohio courts have incorporated the Matterhorn “online adjudication system” to handle simple cases so individuals can participate through the Internet. The system also offers the advantage of having “less bias” than in-person trials, because the race, ethnicity, and socioeconomic status of the individual is protected online.

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Seattle-area Somali community unites to embrace state's new child-care standards

John Higgins

July 09, 2016 |

The Seattle Times |

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1500-3000 Words

Response Location: United States, Seattle, Washington

When Washington state introduced higher standards for child care, many feared that home-based centers, including those run by women from Somalia, would close. But a group spearheaded by nonprofit Voices of Tomorrow arranged for training and materials in East African languages, helping a stunning 94 percent of providers to acquire the necessary license and to keep their centers - vital especially for low-income, immigrant families - open for business.

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Henley-Young Must Release Kids After 21 Days; Some Disappearing?

Tim Summers, Jr.

June 08, 2016 |

Jackson Free Press |

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800-1500 Words

Response Location: United States, Jackson, Mississippi

A consent decree ensures juveniles are not held more than 21 days in a Jackson, Miss., facility that was the subject of a lawsuit over the number of children it held and the conditions they faced. But opponents, including a youth court judge, say this is not solving the underlying problems facing the young offenders and even the plaintiffs in the suit says the larger issue is the approach to juvenile justice in the state.

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Legal Aid With a Digital Twist

Tina Rosenberg

June 01, 2016 |

The New York Times |

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1500-3000 Words

Response Location: United States, New York, New York

Software and apps are helping millions of Americans trying to solve civil problems on their own.

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Have You Ever Been Arrested? Check Here

Tina Rosenberg

May 24, 2016 |

The New York Times |

Text |

1500-3000 Words

Response Location: United States

Across the country, new criminal justice campaigns are seeking to redefine how criminal records are both accessed and interpreted. Given that current crime histories fail to denote context and stories of culmination, these new products are seeking to both delay the effect criminal convictions have, as well as reshape how criminal records are recorded.

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Uganda - Legal Advice

Fi Glover Henrietta Moore Martha Lane Fox

March 13, 2016 |

BBC |

Radio |

Over 15 Minutes

Response Location: Uganda, Kampala

Barefoot Law was founded to keep Ugandans educated about their legal rights. The group of lawyers provides legal help to 300,000 people each month, heavily supported by volunteers. As a non-profit social enterprise, the volunteer efforts are crucial to reaching such a wide audience. The key innovation is using a cell phone network to spread legal information using calls, texts, and social media.

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