SEALING CRIMINAL RECORDS (CORI)

This video was produced thanks to the generous support of Operation Money Wise, an education initiative through the Massachusetts Office of the Treasurer and the Office of Economic Empowerment to increase financial knowledge for military personnel and their families.

The video is for educational purposes only and is current as of the listed date. To receive legal advice about your specific situation, please contact a legal professional.

Sealing & Expunging Criminal Records

One in three Americans has a criminal record and therefore faces barriers to health, housing, employment, higher education, and financial stability. Employment is the largest predictor of reduced recidivism. Challenges related to having a criminal record disproportionately affect people of color: in the U.S., Black men are incarcerated five times as much as White men.

In honor of Veterans Day 2022, VLS and volunteer attorney Crispin Birnbaum hosted a webinar to train staff with direct veteran care duties to become more knowledgeable and confident in speaking with veterans about having a criminal record (CORI). Attorney Birnbaum provided participants with an overview of the criminal record sealing and expungement process. Participants learned actionable information to answer veterans' frequently asked CORI questions. Participants were also enabled to identify when and where to refer veterans to take the self-empowerment step of addressing their CORI issues by leveraging free and available legal services in their communities.