Recently, Governor Cuomo announced that he will be pardoning New Yorkers who were convicted of non-violent crimes when they were minors and have not committed another crime in a ten year period. Currently, 48 states in the nation have adopted the “Raise the Age Campaign,” a movement that purports 16 and 17 year olds should not be tried as adults. Governor Cuomo’s clemency action adopts the principles from the campaign to allow young people who have made mistakes in their youth move ahead with their lives and gain employment and other opportunities. New York’s clemency program is the first of its kind in the nation.
The pardon will affect approximately 10,000 people in New York and make 350 citizens per year eligible for the pardon. To qualify for the pardon, a citizen must have been 16 or 17 at the time they committed the crime, have lived crime free for ten years after conviction or incarceration, have been convicted of a misdemeanor or a non-violent felony, currently reside in New York State, and currently be looking for work or is legitimately unable to work.
The pardoning is expected to assist those who are unable to find employment due to convictions they faced as minors. Each applicant must undergo a screening process to determine if they are deserving of the pardon.
For more information regarding the pardon program, click here.
If you have questions regarding prior criminal convictions, contact Wendy Pelle-Beer & Associates, an experienced criminal defense law firm. Call (718) 313-0770 to schedule a consultation.
