COLUMBUS, Ohio ( WCMH ) — Sealing and expunging criminal records is a way for people to regain access to safe housing and better jobs. For many, it’s a way to start over.
In 2022, the Ohio legislature passed a law to make this process easier, so NBC4 Investigates looked into the numbers, asking just how many people is this helping in central Ohio.
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“Sometimes just knowing is the first step to helping somebody,” a Legal Aid of Southeast and Central Ohio (LASCO) client who expunged his record said.
A man NBC4 Investigates spoke with had his record expunged a few years ago and now is sharing his story in the hopes it teaches others how to turn their life around.
According to the numbers, the Ohio legislature’s actions to make sealing and expunging records easier have worked.
“It was almost like a fresh start to life, honestly. I mean it was a big relief,” the LASCO client said. This man, with legal aid’s help, was able to expunge his record.