The expungement process for individuals convicted on low-level, marijuana-related, offenses is beginning in Illinois.
The process, which is in accordance with the Relief Act signed by Governor J.B. Pritzker, requires the department to look through public records from the Illinois State Police, the City of Monmouth, and the Sheriff’s department. Local and State authorities then decide which records to expunge. Expungement is only conducted for those charged with up to 30 grams of marijuana.
Warren County Sheriff Martin Edwards says the process will be long.
“This is not a matter of pulling something out of the file cabinet and throwing it in the shredder. It’s going to take individual, hand-by-hand, looks to ensure we’re doing it properly.”
There are approximately 700,000 records to process in the State of Illinois.