City of Baltimore - File #: 14-0142R

• File #: 14-0142R
• Version: 0
• Name: Request for State Action - Criminal Record Shielding
• Type: City Council Resolution
• Status: Adopted
• File created: 1/13/2014
• In control: City Council
• Final action: 1/13/2014
• Title: Request for State Action - Criminal Record Shielding FOR the purpose of calling on the General Assembly to enact, and the Governor to sign, a law allowing reformed ex-offenders who have not reoffended for at least 5 years to shield their past convictions for minor offenses from public view.
• Sponsors: Nick Mosby, Brandon M. Scott, Warren Branch, Rochelle Spector, Edward Reisinger, Sharon Green Middleton, Mary Pat Clarke, Carl Stokes, Robert Curran, William "Pete" Welch, Bill Henry
• Indexes: Resolution

Date	Ver.	Action By	Action	Result
1/13/2014	0	City Council	Introduced
1/13/2014	0	City Council	Advanced to 2nd Reader on same day
1/13/2014	0	City Council	Adopted

* WARNING: THIS IS AN UNOFFICIAL, INTRODUCTORY COPY OF THE BILL.
THE OFFICIAL COPY CONSIDERED BY THE CITY COUNCIL IS THE FIRST READER COPY.
INTRODUCTORY*

CITY OF BALTIMORE
COUNCIL BILL R
(Resolution)

Introduced by: Councilmember Mosby



A RESOLUTION ENTITLED

A COUNCIL RESOLUTION concerning
title
Request for State Action - Criminal Record Shielding

FOR the purpose of calling on the General Assembly to enact, and the Governor to sign, a law allowing reformed ex-offenders who have not reoffended for at least 5 years to shield their past convictions for minor offenses from public view.
body

Recitals

In choosing who to employ businesses understandably seek out as much relevant information as possible about applicants to help them find the best fit for their needs. Many are wary of hiring former offenders out of fear that they may be more likely to commit future crimes.

In the context of too high recidivism rates for offenders in the years immediately following release, this reticence can seem to make sense. However, for individuals who have long put past missteps behind them, the bias against ex-offenders can become an unjustified barrier to gainful employment; and for reintegrating former prisoners the sense that no matter what they do they will never again be given a fair chance can make reentry into society much harder.

In reality, according to a recent study by a State panel on prisoner reentry, research shows that while recidivism is highest 3 to 5 years after incarceration, it drops off after that and reaches a point where ex-offenders are statistically no more likely to commit a ...