Newark, NJ- A criminal record can be prohibitive on many levels and in many aspects of a person’s life, so some criminal offenders have the option to expunge (clean up) their criminal record, but typically they must wait a long time before they can even begin the process of expungement. That has now changed thanks to new legislation which reduces the time individuals must wait to have their criminal record expunged.
A criminal record can be a barrier for New Jersey residents, making it difficult for them to get a job and rent or buy a house or apartment, own a firearm, receive financial aid for school, join the military, vote and other problems. This is because businesses can access services that allow them to see whether someone has national police clearance or not, as part of the hiring process, or application process when it comes to renting property. As a result of this, it is becoming more and more important that people do everything in their power to avoid getting any kind of criminal record, and if they do , to expunge it as soon as possible. A person with a criminal record also cannot get a job with a federal or state agency and may not be able to obtain certain professional licenses. But fortunately for some individuals, New Jersey has laws that allow them to have their criminal records cleared through expungement.