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Crime & Traffic

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Criminal records

A criminal record can affect your opportunities in work, housing, and other parts of life. These resources explain how criminal records are created, how they appear in background checks, who can access them, and what options you may have to reduce their impact, including clearing or sealing your record.

Gun license with a criminal record
Describes a person's eligibility for a Firearm Owners Identification (FOID) card, gun ownership and use based upon prior criminal convictions.
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Can a sex offender be removed from the registry?
Explains sex offender registration requirements, the difference between an offender and a predator, and if a sex offender can appeal registration.
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Getting a job in health care after a conviction
Discusses health care waivers, which can remove barriers to employment for people with criminal convictions.
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Asking the court to vacate a conviction after TASC probation
Learn who qualifies for TASC probation and how to vacate a conviction after successfully completing it.
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Should I clear my criminal record for immigration purposes?
This article explains how hiding or erasing your criminal or juvenile record might affect your immigration status.
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Do I have to tell employers about my criminal record?
Explains whether or not you have to tell an employer about your criminal record, and when an employer can use this information to make decisions.
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Certificates of good conduct and relief from disabilities
Explains an option for helping people with criminal records who are not eligible for expungement or sealing.
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What if I was denied or my record is not eligible for expungement or sealing?
Learn about your options if you don’t qualify for expungement or sealing, including certificates and waivers.
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Executive clemency
(5 resources)
Executive clemency basics
Learn how executive clemency works in Illinois, including commutations, pardons, expungement options, and how clemency requests are decided.
Guide
Applying for executive clemency
Steps to file a petition with the Prison Review Board from how to write the petition to how your hearing will work.
How-To
Writing an executive clemency petition
Learn about what you need to include in a clemency petition, how to organize it, and what documents can help when asking the governor for relief.
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Executive clemency
Answers to common questions about executive clemency, including who can apply, how the process works, and what the different types of clemency mean.
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Expunging or sealing an adult criminal record
(10 resources)
Criminal record expungement or sealing request
This Easy Form helps you ask the court to expunge or seal arrests and convictions from your adult criminal record.
Easy Form
Starting a case to expunge or seal a criminal record
A step-by-step guide for filing a request to expunge or seal your criminal record in Illinois.
How-To
Before filing for expungement or sealing
Find answers to common questions about sealing or expunging a criminal record, like who qualifies, how long it takes, and what offenses can be cleared.
FAQ
Expunging or sealing a criminal record basics
Learn about sealing and expunging criminal records in Illinois, including eligibility, the process, and available resources for help.
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Understanding criminal records
(9 resources)
How to access court records
Learn where to look up criminal and civil court records, what information is available online, and how to get official copies.
FAQ
Getting copies of your criminal records
The first step in clearing your criminal record is finding out what is on it. Learn how to collect the documents you need to clear your record.
How-To
What do abbreviations on a RAP sheet mean?
Explains the common shortening of words on a RAP sheet so that you can understand your arrest record. Includes abbreviations of charges, sentences, dispositions, court terms, police terms, and convictions.
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Finding my juvenile records
Find out how to get your juvenile arrest and court records in Illinois.
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