Program Seeks To Expunge Nonviolent Records Of Jobseekers In Detroit
DETROIT (AP) — A program is being offered to help Detroit residents become available for jobs by expunging nonviolent criminal backgrounds.
Project Clean Slate starts Saturday morning at Fellowship Chapel in northwest Detroit. The program will be held quarterly at locations across the city.
It is hosted by the city's Law Department and an area nonprofit organization.
More than 100 lawyers and law students have been recruited to represent eligible applicants in court. In exchange, applicants agree to sign up with the city's Workforce Development agency to assist in job readiness and placement.
Detroit Corporation Counsel Melvin Hollowell says an estimated 70,000 city residents are eligible to have parts of their records expunged.
Hollowell adds that "too often, folks who made a mistake in the past are unable to even get job interviews."
Copyright 2016 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.