Community Chat

[January121]

NO, NO, NO!!!!!

[In-x-s]

Absolutely not!  It is called a criminal record for a reason.

[Plaid Pants2]

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@YorkieonmyPillow wrote:

  Do you think once a felon has served their time, that their criminal record should be erased?

  I'm thinking perhaps it should, with the exception of child abuse or domestic violence.

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@YorkieonmyPillow

Erase their records?!?

Are you flip-floppin crazy?!?

Picture this:

John Q. Criminal commits murder, and is sentenced to 10 years in prison.

He serves a third of that time, because hey, sentences don't ,mean much anymore.

He gets out, his record is erased.

He moves in next door to you.

He murders your loved one.

You would be the FIRST person to be screaming. "WHY WASN'T HIS CRIMINAL RECORD KNOWN?!?"

Well, that's what happens when you want someone's criminal record erased.

[Allegheny]

There are laws that cover this and they vary by state and crime.  Terminology differs also, ie., sealed and expunged.  Who can and cannot view records once sealed or expunged is restricted.  To totally erase/remove (in my mind) would apply to an individual who was wrongfully charged, convicted, imprisoned for a crime they did not commit.

I have mixed feelings based upon the age when committed and nature of the crime.  I don't feel it would or should be universally possible to do so.

[CalminHeart]

Sure, wipe it off their records. 

A single woman doesn't need to know her new date is a convicted rapist.

A single mom or dad doesn't need to know the person they're dating is a convicted child abuser.

The new live-in boyfriend is around the woman's kids but has  a series of convictions for selling drugs.  No problem.

The man doesn't need to know his new girlfriend was convicted for stealing from her prior boyfriend.

So what if the new boyfriend/girlfriend is a convicted killer, right?

The woman doesn't need to worry that her kids will be around a convicted kidnapper.

No one cares that the high life their new date is giving them is paid for with money from a bank robbery.  

[Lipstickdiva]

Absolutely not.

In very, very rare instances do I think a record should be expunged.

As an aside, our prison system doesn't work. That is a fact.  Most criminals end up right back in again.  The prison system is supposed to rehabilitate criminals but it just doesn't. 

[jackiejenny]

@YorkieonmyPillow~~~No, not ever. 

I know you don't mean that!  

[software]

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@YorkieonmyPillow wrote:

  Do you think once a felon has served their time, that their criminal record should be erased?

  I'm thinking perhaps it should, with the exception of child abuse or domestic violence.

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No

[Tinkrbl44]

@Plaid Pants2

Even if John Q. Criminal didn't have his record erased, he still could move next door ..... and what?   Do you think real estate agents check for past criminal behavior when someone wants to buy a home, and turn some people down?     They can't discriminate!  Even if they did end up moving next door, it doesn't mean you'd ever know about his background.   

[Lipstickdiva]

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@Tinkrbl44 wrote:

@Plaid Pants2

Even if John Q. Criminal didn't have his record erased, he still could move next door ..... and what?   Do you think real estate agents check for past criminal behavior when someone wants to buy a home, and turn some people down?     They can't discriminate!  Even if they did end up moving next door, it doesn't mean you'd ever know about his background.   

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Exactly.  I don't investigate my neighbors.  Heck until about 2 years after they moved in, I didn't even know my neighbor's name on the one side of me.  We said hi to each other but that was it. The only reason I found out her name was because I accidently got a piece of her mail.

I didn't check court records though.