Mayor Rahm Emanuel backs bill to expunge juvenile arrest records

Mayor Rahm Emanuel backs bill to expunge juvenile arrest records by Frank Main

To read this article on the Chicago Sun-times website, click here.

Mayor Rahm Emanuel is pushing legislation to expunge certain juvenile arrest records automatically — and remove a major hurdle for people to qualify for jobs, according to administration officials.

The legislation, introduced Friday by Rep. Arthur Turner (D-Chicago), would apply to juvenile arrests that never resulted in formal criminal charges. The state would have to expunge those arrests automatically when a person turns 18.

“Their mistakes should not follow them into adulthood, nor prevent them from getting a job or competing for opportunities,” Emanuel said in a statement.