Navigating a New Normal: Automated Criminal Record Sealing and Expungement

Law enforcement agencies continuously seek ways to reduce crime, strengthen public trust, and use their limited resources more effectively. Designed to automate the sealing of certain low-level conviction or arrest records once eligibility criteria are met, clean slate legislation has emerged as a practical policy tool that aligns with these goals. By facilitating successful reintegration, such laws help reduce reoffending, support community stability, and allow law enforcement to focus more directly on high-priority threats.

Strengthening Public Safety Through Reintegration

High recidivism rates create recurring challenges for law enforcement. Historically, approximately 66 percent of individuals released from state prisons were rearrested within three years, about 77 percent within five years, and almost 82 percent within 10 years post-release. These cycles of reoffending burden police departments and divert attention from more serious or emerging public safety concerns.

Research shows that individuals who remain law-abiding for several years after a conviction pose no greater public safety risk than those with no criminal record at all. This evidence supports the rationale behind clean slate laws: Removing administrative and social barriers for individuals who have demonstrated rehabilitation can lower their chances of recidivism and actually increase public safety.

In Michigan, for example, a comprehensive study found that individuals whose records were expunged had a recidivism rate of just 4 percent within five years (most for nonviolent misdemeanors). These outcomes translate into fewer police interactions and stronger community safety overall.

A hallmark of clean slate legislation, automated record sealing and expungement is an important aspect of success in this realm, as current record-sealing processes are greatly underutilized across the country. Currently, fewer than 10 percent of eligible American adults successfully have their records sealed due to the cost and complexity of the petition-based process. Automating these processes improves the efficiency and effectiveness of record-sealing statutes already in place throughout the United States.

State-Level Recidivism Rates and Clean Slate Legislation

The following 12 states have enacted clean slate laws. Their most recent three-year recidivism rates all fall below the national average of 66.2 percent.

States like Michigan and Minnesota, which pair record-sealing policies with robust reentry support, have some of the lowest recidivism rates in the nation. This points to the strategic value of clean slate laws in advancing public safety goals while reducing strain on criminal justice systems.

Grasping the importance of shielding criminal records from the public after individuals remain crime-free for a set period requires a full understanding of the lasting consequences and barriers faced by those with records, even years after completing their sentence. Major challenges faced by the one in three American adults with criminal records relate directly to difficulty keeping or simply attaining basic necessities like employment, housing, and education.

More than 40,000 state and federal regulatory and legal restrictions limit opportunities for people with criminal records, creating negative outcomes not only for the individuals impacted, but for those around them as well. For example, 94 percent of employers use background checks when hiring, and an arrest or conviction record reduces the chances of a callback or job offer by nearly 50 percent. Unemployment and underemployment harm individuals and the communities they live in. Automating record sealing to reduce recidivism allows individuals to move forward as productive members of society, with increased public safety as an added benefit.

During the 2025 state legislative sessions, many states—red and blue alike—have been working to pass their own clean slate laws. These states include North Carolina, Texas, Missouri, Maryland, Illinois, Kentucky, and Massachusetts, with Maine and North Dakota potentially added later.

Resource Optimization for Law Enforcement and Building Community Trust

When low-risk individuals reintegrate successfully and avoid reoffending, law enforcement agencies are free to focus their attention and resources on more serious threats to public safety. Research affirms that automatic record sealing does not jeopardize public safety; instead, it mitigates long-term destabilizing factors like unemployment and housing insecurity, which often lead to reoffending.

Clean slate laws also support the broader mission of community policing by reinforcing fairness and second chances. An increasing number of Americans support automatic record clearance for individuals who remain crime-free after a set period. Policies that remove long-term penalties for old, low-level offenses foster goodwill, particularly in communities that have historically experienced disproportionate contact with the justice system.

Clean slate laws create a data-driven approach to criminal justice reform that aligns with the operational priorities of law enforcement. By reducing recidivism, decreasing unnecessary re-arrests, and restoring community confidence, these policies serve the shared goal of safer, more stable communities. As more jurisdictions consider clean slate legislation, evidence continues to build that these reforms are not only fair—they are effective.