MUSKEGON, Mich. — The United States has the highest incarceration rate in the world, according to the U.S. Chamber of Commerce. More than one million Americans are currently imprisoned in the U.S. correctional system, with nearly four million more on probation or parole at any given time. This population is always in rotation, and that means around one in three Americans have a criminal record.
In Muskegon County, Janet Robinson from G.U.N.S. (which stands for gaining unity through non-violent solutions) is helping these people get a clean slate by providing them with career and life opportunities in their sixth annual expungement clinic.
“I committed a crime back in 2018 and it's constantly been, you know, getting in the way of either an apartment or a house or even a job,” said Terence Wreath, who is among the individuals eligible to get his record cleared.
“One of the things with the expungement clinic is, if people have something on their record, the governor, or legislation, has said, ‘Hey, you deserve a second chance,'" Robinson said.
Robinson says the clinic is a one stop shop. Participants are screened on-site by attorneys to determine their eligibility. Those who are eligible have their fingerprints taken by state police. "Then, we have the notary... the notarized application. And then you have a checkout process where they'll provide you with envelopes as well as the labels for the different county offices you got to go to because you have to turn your application in to the Attorney General, the prosecutor, the court and state police,” Robinson said.
This process also saves participants money in attorney and processing fees. This year, the city of Muskegon has allocated funds to cover the $50 pre-registration fee for all Muskegon residents.
“$50 is a lot to come by sometimes when you have to decide if you want to do food or some other things," Robinson said. "So that push alone has helped tremendously.”
Robinson says once the applications are done, G.U.N.S. works with the courts in Muskegon County to request the participants’ certified records. Next, they’ll receive a court date where the judge will decide whether or not to expunge their record.
Robert Roundtree got his record expunged last year, at 57 years old. “Now, my record is back where I wanted it to be after 30 years,” Roundtree said.
Roundtree adds that the possibilities for him are now endless, and he’s no longer living life looking over his shoulder. “I can, you know, walk through life knowing that I did my part, I paid my debt to society, and now I'm vindicated from all that I've done,” Roundtree said.
As for Wreath, he’s not out the door yet… but he’s closer than ever to a clean slate. “I feel like this is a great way for me to start to get control of my life again,” Wreath said.
There is currently not another expungement clinic on the calendar, but Janet Robinson, and G.U.N.S., are working to schedule another.
So for now, if you want to get in touch with G.U.N.S., email here.
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