Screenshot from www.expunge.io
CHICAGO — The Mikva Challenge Foundation released an app aiming to encourage more juveniles to seek assistance expunging their arrest and court records.
In 2012, only 70 of the 25,000 youths who were arrested in Chicago got their records expunged, according to a report by the Juvenile Justice Council issued last summer. Those who sought to have their records expunged were successful.
The report noted common obstacles to expungement that juveniles face and ways to improve them, recommending the creation of a workshop for juveniles on how to clear their records. A free mobile app was the result.
Christopher Rudd, director of the Juvenile Justice Council, said the app allows users to connect to lawyers or a legal team that would guide them through the expungement process.
The main purpose of the app is to give those seeking expungement of their juvenile records more accessibility to the legal resources. The app itself contains information on where kids can find their RAP sheets, along with the cost of expungement and the length of time the process takes.
The expungement process takes approximately three and a half months and it costs $124 to expunge a single record. Although this process could be expensive for many, the fees could be waived, Rudd said.
Other Juvenile Justice Council recommendations are in development. These include a plan to turn foreclosed homes into safe housing for young people fresh out of prison and a welcoming circle program that will connect incarcerated juveniles with community groups via Skype to form positive adult relationships.
This story produced by The Chicago Bureau
Greetings,
I would like to know if you have information available to assist youth who are on probation and really at risk youth. I need community information and programs that would help. I currently reside in Rome, Georgia and I would really like to help some of these youth. This is a very personal drive for me because some of these kids are my family members and honestly they are in trouble. They need help. Many children that come from single parent homes may not have the resources or information needed to help their children. My sister is a single mom, her son’s father is in federal prison, sentenced to serve atleast 18 more years, mean while their son is in trouble. he needs a divine intervention. he has been locked up at Bob Richards RYDC several times within the last 8 months. Locking up a kid is not always the answer. My nephew is in trouble. Please help me in this matter. I was an officer at the Bob Richards RYDC some years ago and I do have the experience working with these youth in a detention setting, but outside of being detained I do not know of any resources available to assist in their situation. I am a very concerned parent, aunt, criminal justice student, and community activist. I look forward to your reply. If you would like to mail me some information. My mailing address is 73 Green And Gold Blvd. NE Rome, Georgia 30161
Respectfully,
Ms La’Talia Yvonne Chambers
706-266-3947
lataliayvonne@yahoo.com (personal email)
chambers127043@students.Reinhardt.edu (student email)