The Clock is ticking—Are you ready?
Modernize Records for Compliance
A Nationwide Policy Shift
Across the United States, Clean Slate laws are reshaping how criminal records are managed. These laws—enacted in states like Pennsylvania, Michigan, California, New York, Virginia, and others—require the automatic or petition-based sealing of eligible criminal records, including misdemeanors, certain felonies, and non-conviction records. While each state sets its own eligibility criteria and implementation deadlines, the trend is clear: digitization is essential for compliance.
System-Wide Impact
Clean Slate legislation affects every corner of the criminal justice and legal system, including:
- Courts: Circuit, district, and municipal courts must identify and seal eligible records efficiently.
- Law Enforcement: Agencies must ensure arrest records and case files are properly managed and accessible for authorized use while complying with sealing mandates.
- Prosecutors and Public Defenders: Legal teams must coordinate on record eligibility, petitions, and sealing procedures.
- Corrections and Probation Departments: Accurate recordkeeping and timely updates are critical for eligibility tracking.
Digitization: A Strategic Compliance Solution
Digitizing criminal case files and related records enables agencies to:
- Automate Identification & Indexing: Streamline the sealing process.
- Apply Digital Audit Trails & Retention Policies: Ensure transparency and accountability.
- Simplify Reporting & Oversight: Meet state-mandated compliance deadlines.
- Enhance Interagency Collaboration: Enable secure, real-time data sharing.
The Challenge of Paper-Based Systems
Many agencies still rely on paper records, which pose serious risks:
- Labor-Intensive Review: Manual file audits are slow and error-prone.
- Disclosure Risks: Misfiled or unsealed records can lead to unauthorized access.
- Lack of Oversight: Paper systems lack audit trails and centralized tracking.
- Poor Interagency Coordination: Sharing records across departments is inefficient and inconsistent.
Future-Proof Your Operations
Whether you’re a court clerk, police department, prosecutor’s office, or public defender, digitization helps you:
- Meet Clean Slate compliance deadlines in your state
- Reduce manual labor and operational costs
- Free up physical storage space
- Modernize service delivery and public engagement
At QAI, we specialize in secure, cost-effective digitization strategies tailored to the unique needs of criminal justice agencies. Our team understands the urgency and complexity of Clean Slate compliance—and we’re here to help.
Join us for a Solution Focused Webinar
Thursday, Nov 20
11am ET
Fairfax County: A Model for Compliance
Fairfax County is setting the standard for Clean Slate readiness by embracing digitization as the foundation for compliance. Through strategic modernization of its criminal justice records, the County is demonstrating how digital transformation can meet legal mandates while improving operational efficiency and citizen access.
Attend our Clean Slate Ready Webinar and hear from Chris Falcon, Clerk of Court for the Fairfax Circuit Court and from Major Rex Pagerie, at Fairfax County Government as they share how Fairfax County is leading the way—and discover how your agency can follow suit.
State Campaigns
To date, 12 states, and Washington D.C., have passed laws that meet CSI’s criteria for Clean Slate legislation. Additionally, there are active Clean Slate campaigns in many states, and grassroots work building support for future efforts are underway in states across the country. Check out your state below:
Colorado: Visit Website
Connecticut: Visit Website
Delaware: Visit Website
Illinois: Visit Website
Kentucky: Visit Website
Massachusetts: Visit Website
Maryland: Visit Website
Michigan: Visit Website
Missouri: Visit Website
New York: Visit Website
North Carolina: Visit Website
Oklahoma: Visit Website
Pennsylvania: Visit Website
Texas: Visit Website
Utah: Visit Website
Virginia: Visit Website
Washington, D.C.: Visit Website