SHANKLAND, THANKS VERY MUCH.
>> THANK YOU.
>> RESTRICTIONS ON WHO IS
ELIGIBLE FOR THEIR CRIMINAL
RECORD TO BE EXPUNGED COULD BE
LOOSENED UNDER A BIPARTISAN BILL
MAKING ITS WAY THROUGH THE
LEGISLATURE.
EXPUNGEMENT IS A COURT SEALING
OF AN ENTIRE CRIMINAL CASE FILE
AND IT CANNOT BE SEEN WITHOUT A
COURT ORDER.
FURTHER, THE DEFENDANT'S NAME
WON'T YIELD ANY RESULTS OF THE
CASE IN A SEARCH OF WISCONSIN'S
CIRCUIT COURT RECORDS.
CURRENTLY LAW ONLY ALLOWS
NON-VIOLENT FELONY CRIMES
COMMITTED BEFORE THE AGE OF 25
TO BE CONSIDERED FOR
EXPUNGEMENT.
AMONG THIS BILL'S AGE
RESTRICTIONS WOULD BE LIFTED.
DESPITE HAVING SUCCESS IN
PREVIOUS SESSIONS OF THE
ASSEMBLY IT HASN'T GOTTEN THE
NECESSARY TRACTION IN THE SENATE
UNTIL NOW.
>> WE'RE GETTING RID OF THAT
LIMIT, THAT AGE LIMIT THAT'S
ASSOCIATED WITH IT.
FOR EXPUNGEMENT TO BE ABLE TO
HAPPEN, THESE INDIVIDUALS WOULD
HAVE TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY'VE
PAID ALL OF THEIR RESTITUTION,
DONE ALL OF THEIR HOURS, DID
EVERYTHING THAT THEY NEEDED TO
DO TO BE QUALIFIED FOR THIS.
IT WOULD ALSO ALLOW FOLKS THAT
WERE POSSIBLY DAMAGED OR INJURED
TO BE NOTIFIED THAT SOMEONE WAS
UP FOR EXPUNGEMENT.
ONE OF THE BIG AREAS THAT I WAS
CONTACTED FOR BY JUDGES WITH
THIS EXPUNGEMENT BILL HAS TO DO
WITH WHEN THAT IDEA OF
EXPUNGEMENT CAN ACTUALLY BE
GRANTED.
OKAY?
SO CURRENTLY WHAT HAPPENS IS IF
YOU ARE CHARGED WITH A CRIME,
THE INITIAL COURT HEARINGS WILL
DETERMINE IF YOU CAN HAVE
EXPUNGEMENT AT THE END OR NOT.
A LOT OF JUDGES WERE SAYING WHY?
WHAT HAPPENS IF THINGS HAPPENED
IN BETWEEN THERE AND THEN YOU'RE
JUST GOING TO EXPUNGE THIS
PARTICULAR CRIME.
THIS BILL WOULD SAY WE'RE GOING
TO LOOK AT IT AT THE END ALSO
AND SAY, HEY, IS THIS
APPROPRIATE?
BECAUSE A LOT OF TIMES, IF
PEOPLE DON'T ASK AT THE
BEGINNING OF A TRIAL OR THEY
DON'T KNOW, THEY WILL NOT BE
ALLOWED FOR EXPUNGEMENT.
CONSTITUENTS SAID, I WANTED TO
JOIN THE MILITARY BUT I COULDN'T
BECAUSE I MADE AN ERROR EIGHT,
NINE YEARS AGO.
I WANTED TO GET MY LICENSE IN
SELLING OF INSURANCE.
SOMETHING I DID WHEN I WAS 17
YEARS OLD.
RIGHT?
SO THIS IS DEFINITELY SOMETHING
THAT'S IMPACTING PEOPLE WHEN IT
COMES TO WORKFORCE, WHEN IT
COMES TO HOUSING, BUT WHAT ABOUT
SELF-WORTH?
THERE'S A LOT OF PEOPLE THAT
MIGHT HAVE STRUGGLED WITH MENTAL
HEALTH WHEN THEY WERE YOUNGER OR
WHATEVER THE REASON IS, MADE A
STUPID CHOICE AND NOW 10, 20,
30, 40 YEARS LATER, THEY'RE
STILL BEING PUNISHED FOR THIS,
SO THERE HAS TO BE A RIGHT TO A
WRONG, NOT ONLY ON THEIR END,
BUT OUR END ALSO.
I THINK PEOPLE SHOULD HAVE
CONSEQUENCES FOR THE NEGATIVE
CHOICES THAT THEY MAKE, BUT YOU
CAN ALSO MAKE THAT RIGHT, AND SO
DO I FIND THIS WEAKENING THE
TOUGH ON CRIME?
NO.
WHAT I'M SAYING IS MAKE GOOD
CHOICES.
IF YOU MESS UP ALONG THE WAY,