CLEAN SLATE Clean Slate Program MARY SACKETT et al. Contributing Authors: Assistant District Attorney Otis Bruce Jr., Public Defender David Joseph Sutton, Probation Chief Marlon Washington, District Attorney Lori Frugoli, and Mary Sackett.
The world is tough to navigate. It is constantly changing, confusing, and often overwhelming—and having a criminal conviction on your record is a complexity multiplier. Fortunately, for those who have paid their debts to society, the County of Marin’s Clean Slate Program is aimed at removing some of the barriers for those looking for a fresh start. The criminal justice system—including the war on drugs, three-strikes legislation and many current immigration laws—have been
unequally enforced. Criminal records can be crippling, costly, and limit employment options and opportunities. Without selfsufficiency, a job and hope, recidivism increases.
The Clean Slate Program aims to remove some of the barriers by clearing a participant’s record, terminating their probation, or dismissing their conviction. The program synchronizes help from the Public Defender’s Office, the District Attorney’s Office, and the Probation Department at one place and one time. The services from the three agencies, in addition to the Department of Health and Human Services, brings assistance directly to residents in their own neighborhood. “Collaborating with our justice partners fulfills our initiative to help qualified applicants expunge and reduce their prior convictions,” added District Attorney Lori E. Frugoli. Clean Slate hosted an inaugural Marin City event in February 2022. The event linked together
Clean Slate program supporters at Civic Center include (from left) Assistant DA Otis Bruce Jr., Health and Human Services Director Benita McLarin, Probation Chief Marlon Washington, Health and Human Services Division Director D’Angelo Paillet, DA Lori Frugoli, and Public Defender David Joseph Sutton.
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