It’s very likely that you know someone with a criminal charge on their record. One in three U.S. adults — around 77 million people — has a previous incarceration, conviction or arrest.
While it’s easy to stereotype people who have interacted with the criminal justice system, the reality is that they’re important parts of our communities — our fathers, our sisters, our mothers and our brothers.
Second Chance Month, which was recently observed in April, highlights the challenges faced all year by people who’ve paid their debt to society, yet because of their criminal history, are kept at arm’s length from the building blocks of a stable life — getting a good job, getting accepted to college, driving a car or voting.
It is vital that everyone, regardless of their criminal history, has meaningful opportunities to participate fully in our communities. At Legal Aid Society, Tennessee’s largest legal nonprofit, our Reentry Project assists Tennesseans in overcoming some of the most common legal issues that occur after incarceration.
For individuals undergoing reentry, here are some of the ways we can help:
Driver’s license reinstatement. Driver’s license suspension can happen for a variety of reasons — often, it’s because a person owes money for child support or court costs related to previous criminal charges. But Tennessee’s lack of public transit options makes it very difficult to get around without a car, especially when it comes to daily responsibilities like getting to work or dropping children off at school.
Many folks with suspended licenses keep driving because they have no choice. Every time they’re stopped by police, it adds another set of court costs that must be paid to get their license back. Most of the time, the biggest thing keeping people from being able to drive is a lack of money.
Our Reentry Project can help with accessing reinstatement requirements and addressing those requirements head on. We can help reinstate a license or help with setting up restricted licenses until a driver is eligible for reinstatement.
Voting rights restoration. Tennessee is the only state in the country that requires people to be current on their child support in order to restore their voting rights.
In addition, any court costs and restitution on previous convictions have to be paid in full. When people have completed the necessary prerequisites, we file a petition in court to have their case heard by a judge.
Expungement. The unemployment rate for individuals with criminal histories is currently 27%, higher than during the Great Depression. One reason is that for people with a criminal record, it can be extremely difficult to get and maintain a job due to the looming potential for a background check.
Expungement, which allows up to two non-violent convictions to be wiped off a person’s record, provides people with criminal histories greater opportunities to seek and maintain meaningful employment.
Not every case on a person’s record is expungable. Violent felonies and misdemeanors are likely not going to qualify, but certain lesser charges are more likely to be. And at Legal Aid Society, new AI-driven tools are making it easier than ever for us to assist individuals with filling out petitions to start the expungement process.
Starting with a blank slate
People with criminal histories often have difficulty finding legal assistance in addressing the legal barriers that come with a criminal history. These barriers are difficult to address in the middle of their criminal case, either because the barrier is not yet an issue or because the issue is outside of the scope of the legal representation for the criminal case.
At Legal Aid Society, we aim to address this gap in helping clients regain their legal rights and clear their records after involvement with the criminal justice system.
A criminal history can be like a weight around a person’s neck. After living for years or decades with charges on their record, it’s hard to imagine the freedom a person can feel when they can set a piece of that burden aside.
If you live in Middle Tennessee and have a criminal history, Legal Aid Society might be able to help. Check out the self-help resources on our website, or give us a call at 1-800-238-1443 to see if you qualify for free legal assistance.
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Savannah Quintero is Reentry Project director at Legal Aid Society of Middle Tennessee and the Cumberlands. Legal Aid Society is a nonprofit law firm that offers free civil legal representation and educational programs to help people in its region receive justice, protect their well-being and support opportunities to overcome poverty. It serves 48 counties — including Cumberland — from offices in Clarksville, Columbia, Cookeville, Gallatin, Murfreesboro, Nashville, Oak Ridge and Tullahoma. Legal Aid Society is funded in part by United Way. Learn more at las.org or by following the firm on Facebook.