Street Roots: Portland nonprofit helps expunge juvenile records

Thousands of Oregon children are referred to juvenile court every year. Even though many of these charges are dismissed, people may still face the ramifications of that contact with the juvenile justice system for years, their record standing in the way of successfully securing housing and jobs. 

Portland nonprofit law firm Youth, Rights & Justice (YRJ) aims to help people with juvenile court records eliminate this roadblock and move on with their lives. Thanks to a grant from the Justice Action Network (JAN), YRJ opened a free juvenile record expunction clinic at the beginning of August for people in Clackamas, Multnomah and Washington counties.

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“Children and youth change,” Carl Filler, a state policy analyst for the JAN said. “I don’t think it’s fair to do something when you’re 14 years old and suffer for the rest of your life. The collateral consequences of convictions for youth can last for the rest of their lives, impacting their housing, education and employment opportunities, which makes them more likely to reoffend.”

https://www.streetroots.org/news/2021/10/06/expunction-clinic