ROCKFORD, Ill. (WTVO) — The expungement process begins with a petition to the court, Marlon Chamberlain, Founder of the Illinois Coalition to End Permanent Punishment said millions are eligible in the state alone.
“In Illinois, there’s an estimated 4.1 million people that will be impacted if, if and when we’re able to eliminate these permanent punishments,” said Chamberlain. “And what that would do is that would give people the ability to dream, to become doctors, to become lawyers, to become teachers and elected officials and entrepreneurs and pastors. So it would give people the ability to evolve and not have to worry about the background following them for life.”
Community members from around the Stateline took a step closer to a second chance of their own as an expungement summit was held at the Book Washington Center on April 13th.
Shimere Love is with the Illinois Coalition to End Permanent Punishment and she knows firsthand what the process can do for someone’s life.
“It means everything simply because I’m not only an advocate, I am a directly impacted individual,” said Love. “And so I know firsthand the barriers for just moving ahead in life.”
Love said a criminal record can stop a person from getting ahead in life permanently.
[It is] Absolutely life-changing. There’s so many barriers that are in place for individuals where they’re not able to get housing or be part of civic engagement,” said Love. “And like we’ve mentioned, employment.”
Chamberlain said a past mistake should not become a forever label.
“I went into the system thinking everybody was bad and I soon discovered that there were a lot of brilliant people who just made a mistake and so that’s the message we want people to hear, is that just because I made a mistake doesn’t make me in the state and that people can be redeemed and be forgiven and allowed to move forward with their lives,” said Chamberlain.
