Criminal justice reform advocates call for automatic record sealing laws in Mass.

New England Public Media

Criminal justice advocates in Massachusetts are asking state lawmakers to make the process of sealing criminal records an automatic one, arguing that the move could open up economic opportunities for people who have brushed against the justice system.

The Clean Slate Massachusetts Campaign aims to make it easier for people with criminal records to get them sealed, once they're eligible. That's three years after a misdemeanor conviction, seven years after a felony. Massachusetts current sealing system is petition-based, where a person has to reach out to the state to begin the process of removing records from public view.