On Thursday, a coalition of state and Salt Lake County criminal justice and social service agencies, charity and advocacy groups, and legal organizations, including some 40 volunteer lawyers, are teaming up to help eligible people get their criminal records scrubbed. They are covering fees for those who qualify and providing free legal help.
The effort is an outgrowth of the Operation Rio Grande initiative to curb crime among the homeless and provide services to individuals and families.
Expunging old criminal convictions is available in Utah for certain categories of crimes. But legal costs and complications can discourage those with low incomes from pursuing it, and a criminal record can be a bar to employment and housing.