Clerk of the Circuit Court of Cook County
Dorothy Brown (photo by Victor Powell) |
Metro:
Annual Adult and Juvenile Expungement Summit to Help
Cook County Residents
By Donna Hodge
Saturday, June 4 at Apostolic Church of God
Because of the challenge sometimes presented by background checks for employment, for some, the thought of clearing their record is a dream. But for many others, they know it's a reality.
And in the mind and heart of Honorable Dorothy Brown, Clerk of the Circuit Court, everyone deserves a second chance.
Teaming up with other Cook County government agencies, the Clerk of the Circuit Court will hold the 7th Annual Adult and Juvenile Expungement Summit on Saturday, June 4, 2011 at the Apostolic Church of God, 6320 S. Dorchester Avenue.
Registration begins at 8:30 a.m. and the doors will close at 6 pm.
This year's summit will include Anita Alvarez, State's Attorney of Cook County; Abishi Cunningham, Cook County public defender; and Dr. Byron Brazier, pastor of Apostolic Church of God, along with an array of governmental, legal, community and religious organizations and agencies.
This community-based summit generally attracts over 3,000 people trying to improve their quality of life by expunging their criminal records. The summit also offers a juvenile component for people who committed juvenile offenses.
What makes this expungement different?
According to Dorothy Brown, "This is an opportunity for individuals to get a second chance to be law-abiding, productive members of society.
"I have participated with other expungement summits, and I felt that there was a need for a summit that was inclusive of the key agencies that are integral to the expungement process, and other ex-offender services. We are attempting to remove as many impediments as possible for people to better themselves."
Besides her dedication and passion for helping people get a second chance, one of the other main reasons behind this magnanimous event is that, she says, the statistics in Cook County are startling.
"In 2010, there were 31,700 felony cases and 194,109 misdemeanor cases filed in Cook County. The Sheriff processes more than 100,000 individuals through jail annually. And once an individual has any type of criminal record, no matter what is the disposition of the case, the individual's employment opportunities are greatly undermined," Brown explains.
"The only answer for most of these individuals is to have their criminal records expunged or sealed, thereby removing a major obstacle to their employability," says Brown. "There is nothing more disheartening for a young person starting out in his or her professional life than to have his career or even school opportunities derailed because of a youthful offense."
At the summit, volunteer attorneys assist participants with the preparation of applications for the expungement and/or sealing. The State's Attorney, Chicago Police Department and Illinois State Police hold information sessions on their expungement petition review process.
Individuals who do not qualify for expungement will get a chance to meet with the Illinois Prisoner Review Board to learn about how to file for an executive clemency/pardon/expungement from the governor, and about Certificates of Good Conduct and Relief from Disabilities.
Other agencies will provide information on employment, job training, health care, housing, voter registration and other services for ex-offenders. The Illinois Department of Employment Security will hold an information session on job placement for ex-offenders.
What You Need To Bring:
The petitioner should bring their rap sheet (criminal history). For suburban cases, individuals may obtain their rap sheet from the local police agency where they were arrested by requesting a Right to Access and Review.
For Chicago cases, adult offenders' rap sheets may be obtained from the Chicago Police Department at 4770 South Kedzie, Chicago, and for juvenile offenses from police headquarters at 3510 South Michigan, Chicago.
There are filing fees associated with expungement and sealing, which may include $120 per petition for Adult Expungement/Sealing ($60 for the Clerk's Office and $60 for the Illinois State Police); $9 per certified disposition (adult cases); and $124 per petition for Juvenile Expungement.
For additional information about the 2011 Expungement Summit, call 312/603-5200, or log onto www.cookcountyclerkofcourt.org., on Facebook Ð cookcountycourtclerk@cookcountycourt.com, and on Twitter at ClerkDBrown - (@ClerkDBrown).
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