Test Drive Our New Site! We have some improvements in the works that we're excited for you to experience. Click here to try our new, faster, mobile friendly beta site. We will be maintaining our current version of the site thru the end of 2024, so you can switch back as our improvements continue.
Legislation Quick Search
04/25/2024 03:36 PM
Pennsylvania House of Representatives
https://www.legis.state.pa.us/cfdocs/Legis/CSM/showMemoPublic.cfm?chamber=H&SPick=20150&cosponId=16866
Share:
Home / House Co-Sponsorship Memoranda

House Co-Sponsorship Memoranda

Subscribe to PaLegis Notifications
NEW!

Subscribe to receive notifications of new Co-Sponsorship Memos circulated

By Member | By Date | Keyword Search


House of Representatives
Session of 2015 - 2016 Regular Session

MEMORANDUM

Posted: January 22, 2015 04:29 PM
From: Representative James R. Roebuck, Jr.
To: All House members
Subject: Expungement of Record for the Wrongfully Convicted
 
In the near future, I will be reintroducing the following legislation Expungement of Record for the Wrongfully Convicted

Imagine spending 10, 20 years in prison for a crime you didn’t commit. You fight for DNA testing which eventually provides irrefutable proof of your innocence and charges are withdrawn. Finally, you are freed with nothing more than the shirt on your back and the change in your pocket you came to prison with. No apologies, no compensation. You have the grace to put it all behind you and move on with your life. You try to make up for lost time with your family…reacquaint yourself with the community and church. You’re back in the real world and need a job. But wait…the nightmare isn’t over.

No one will consider hiring you because you’re a convicted felon. You’ve spent years in prison. You MUST have been guilty. Why would you have a record otherwise?

In the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, current law completely fails to address individuals exonerated of crimes post-conviction. In fact, section 9122 (b) of the crimes code dictates that criminal history records cannot be expunged unless the individual has reached the age of 70 and is free of arrest for 10 years or he has been DEAD for three years.

Once again, I plan to reintroduce legislation that rectifies Pennsylvania’s unfair and inflexible expungement law with respect to those who have been wrongfully convicted and subsequently exonerated.



Introduced as HB473