Restriction of Records Related to Minor Offenses
December 2019
Mayor Bottoms issued an Administrative Order to establish a process to restrict the records of offenses for possession of less than one ounce of marijuana or other minor offenses from public view and would only be accessible to law enforcement for criminal justice purposes. Numerous studies have shown a direct correlation between the expungement of marijuana records and an increase in wages.
The fact remains that communities of color are disproportionately affected by the lingering stigma of victimless, minor offenses—even long after the accused have paid their debts. This outmoded practice deprives our communities and workforce of brilliant and promising minds, all because of an unfair justice system that can and will be course-corrected.
Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms
