New Hope for New Yorkers With Criminal Convictions

New Yorkers who have not been convicted of a crime in the past 10 years can seek to have up to two prior convictions sealed, making it easier to apply for jobs.

The law was signed by Gov. Andrew Cuomo and went into effect in October. On Monday, the Legal Aid Society launched a new pilot project with pro bono attorneys and law school students to help people get their records sealed. 

Emma Goodman, a staff attorney at Legal Aid Society who is supervising the new project, said many of her clients were convicted of theft. When they look for jobs, she said employers often won't give them a shot - even though the state prohibits such discrimination.

"The hope is that they won't even have the opportunity to discriminate against people based on their criminal record 'cause they won't be able to see it anymore."

Those convicted of violent felonies and sex crimes cannot apply to have their convictions sealed; nor can they apply to have two felonies sealed, only one. District attorneys have 45 days to object to the application and judges have final approval.

According to the state's Office of Court Administration, there are approximately 300,000 people with a misdemeanor 10 years or older. A spokesman said the agency doesn't have a number for those who have two misdemeanors or a felony and misdemeanor.

Goodman said she hopes the law will have more of an impact than similar legislation from 2009 that allowed people convicted of certain drug crimes to have their records sealed if they completed court-ordered treatment. She said many people didn't know about it.

The Legal Aid Society and other groups including the Legal Action Center are working to spread the word about this new law. Goodman said 20 people applied already though her pilot project, and 10 more were identified as potentially eligible at a recent community meeting on Staten Island. More community meetings are being planned around the city.