Abstract
Utah’s Clean Slate Act and the wave of similar legislation across the country provide a much-needed change to the traditional method of expungements that left many still facing heavy collateral consequences. Utah’s first pass at this legislation struck a good balance, evidenced by bipartisan support. It does not eliminate responsibility for one’s actions, but “[t]hose who violate the law and then pay their debt to society should not be punished indefinitely for the rest of their lives.” This reflects the broader “vision of America, then and now . . . a land of second chances, where one could make a new life through hard work and service to others, where redemption was a possibility.” The Clean Slate Act in Utah will provide numerous benefits, including increased efficiency for the courts, more employees for business, economic prosperity for the state, and, most importantly, reduced collateral consequences for individuals with criminal records and their families. However, Utah should continue to improve its Clean Slate legislation by allowing for more crimes to be expunged, decreasing the waiting period, notifying eligible individuals, and continuing to pass policy that ensures more people have a fair chance at redemption.
Recommended Citation
Madelynn Woolf, A State for Second Chances: Utah’s Clean Slate Legislation, 2024 ULR 475 (2024)