Connect with us

News

Organization Steps Up to Assist Cannabis Conviction Clearing in Illinois

Published

on

[dropcap class=”kp-dropcap”]A[/dropcap] non-profit organization called Code for America has announced that it will be partnering with Cook County in Illinois in order to clear thousands of eligible cannabis convictions.

The state’s Cannabis Regulation and Tax Act, which passed in June, opens up the possibility for residents to receive assistance for such a task. With the help of Code for America’s “Clear My Record” program and software, which most recently had much success in clearing approximately 75,000 convictions in California, locals will be able to extinguish unnecessary marks on their record at no cost.

“The technology and innovation made possible through our partnership with Code for America will help us provide broad and equitable conviction relief for tens of thousands of people while ensuring that more of our time and resources can be used to combat violent crime,” said Kim Foxx, a Cook County state attorney. “This partnership is one of many steps Cook County is taking to leverage technology in order to better serve our community and bring our criminal justice system into the 21st century.” State attorneys may request to see a list of eligible convictions from state police, which will allow them to “review and grant relief” to specific residents.

Code for America’s founder and executive director, Jennifer Pahlka, was proud to announce this effort. “Code for America’s partnership with Cook County expands our Clear My Record program to a second state and further proves that justice can happen at the scale and speed we know is possible in the digital age,” she said. “Thanks to the leadership of State’s Attorney Foxx, we’ll provide conviction relief expeditiously, at reduced cost, and in bulk in Illinois, and help tens of thousands of individuals get a fresh start. And we’ll continue to show that government can work as it should for all people, when we bring government into the 21st century.”

Starting on January 1, 2020, it will be legal to possess 30 grams or less of cannabis for adults in Illinois.

Continue Reading
Click to comment

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *