Do you need your arrest record sealed? In 2017, Governor Jerry Brown signed the Consumer Arrest Equity Act Senate Bill 393 (CARE – SB 393) into law. There are many reasons you might wish to seal your arrest record. In many cases, an arrest record can hurt your chances of gainful employment or safe housing for your family. This may be true even if you were never convicted.
A People’s Choice understands the process of using the Consumer Arrest Equity Act effectively to seal arrest records. While you probably do not need a lawyer to assist with this, you will need guidance during the process. An experienced document preparer like A People’s Choice can help you through the process without breaking the bank. Read more about how the Consumer Arrest Equity Act Senate BIll 393 can help you below.
Who Benefits From the Consumer Arrest Equity Act SB 393?
CARE allows a person to seal their arrest record when a conviction did not occur. Sometimes, an arrest record can affect your ability to get a job or access safe, affordable housing. Although this is unfair and often unintentional bias, the roadblock remains. If you feel you are being harmed because you do not have the presumption of innocence, then the provisions of CARE Senate BIll 393 may be a good solution for you.
How CARE Works
Under CARE (Senate BIll 393) credit reporting agencies and the California Department of Justice cannot disseminate sealed arrest records. This enables Californians to apply for jobs and housing without fear of their arrest record impacting the process.
In California, millions of residents may have arrest records but not convictions. Many report routine denial of employment opportunities, loans, and state licenses due to an arrest. Read the information below for more details:
Studies have found that approximately 40% of men and 20% of women were arrested before the age of 23, yet 47% were never convicted. Another study shows that approximately one-third of felony arrests did not lead to conviction. Moreover, African Americans, who account for less than 14% of the population, make-up 28% of all arrests. Thus, the impact of unsealed arrest records has a disproportionate effect on African Americans. Source: What Is the Consumer Arrest Equity Act, SB 393?
With more than 60% of employers conducting background checks on new hires, applicants commonly experience rejection if they have arrest records. CARE restores the presumption of innocence and removes negative, undeserved bias.
Are You Eligible for CARE?
Fortunately, under CARE, California residents can petition to have their arrest record sealed. You must satisfy the following requirements in order to have your arrest record sealed:
- The police arrested you but did not file formal charges.
- After the police filed charges, they dismissed them.
- A jury or court trial resulted in your acquittal.
- The courts later reversed your conviction or vacated on appeal.
Most people would like to seal their arrest records. This is extremely important if the Court did not convict you. However, you may not know the right terminology and process to use in order to benefit from CARE. Often, individuals do not seal their arrest records because they fear it will be too expensive. In reality, an experienced document-preparer can guide you through the process.
At A People’s Choice, we can help you seal your arrest record for a low flat fee. We can prepare the documents you need to obtain a copy of your arrest record and petition the court to have it sealed. Contact us at 805-648-5540 today to learn more about our affordable arrest record sealing services.
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