This Powerpoint presentation describes the current statutory and regulatory barriers that exclude ex-offenders from numerous licensed occupations ranging from plumbing to nursing to cosmetology and suggests reforms to lower these barriers. Such reforms can improve economic productivity and reduce crime, as ex-offenders who are employed are three to five times less likely to re-offend.
Criminal Justice
Safer Communities Through Second Chances: The Case for Federal Expungement
When criminal records follow people forever, families struggle, employers lose workers, and communities lose productive citizens. Federal law offers almost no path to redemption, even though second chances strengthen public safety and the economy. Key Points The federal expungement system is effectively nonexistent. Permanent criminal records for non-violent federal offenses undermine work opportunities, family stability,...
September 15, 2026