WEST SACRAMENTO, Calif. — The Yolo County District Attorney's Office and local groups partnered together for a free expungement clinic in West Sacramento.
Residents with a criminal history can face a number of barriers to integrating back into society.
"Barriers to housing, future employment, even certain licensing and certifications and those are really things that are going to hinder somebody who is trying to make a change in their life," said Nicole Kirkaldy, who works on the restorative justice and diversion programs for the Yolo County District Attorney's Office.
With help from the clinic Thursday, eligible attendees can get convictions dismissed from most background checks, such as certain job applications.
The event in West Sacramento Thursday provided services, including expungement assistance, record reduction and termination of probation.
Attendees could also receive job assistance from groups like the Center for Employment Opportunities, which helps individuals returning home from incarceration.
Paralegal Amberlene Hernandez, with the Yolo County Public Defender’s Office, said people with a variety of convictions may be eligible for expungement.
"Especially with the recent changes in our legislation involving expungement, more types of convictions than ever before are actually eligible for expungement. We're talking simple misdemeanors, like DUIs or simple drug possession matters, domestic violence convictions, and even higher level felonies," she said.
Organizers told ABC10 the clinic assisted 30 people from Yolo, Sacramento and Solano counties.
"Some offenses are recent within the last two years, three years, 5 years. They may have recently finished probation. Some of these are offenses that occurred some 20 years ago," Hernandez said.
In California, the conviction may still show up for certain licenses or jobs.
Chief Deputy District Attorney Jonathan Raven said the Yolo County District Attorney's Office is working to further improve the expungement process to reduce recidivism and ensure residents don't see barriers to employment or housing.
To learn more about expungement assistance in Yolo County, click here. You can also email rjpartnership@yolocounty.org.
To learn more about services at the Center for Employment Opportunities, click here.
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