~ sealing criminal records ~

I'm sniffing around for a trend. Will those who are found guilty of crimes be able to seal their records? Well, perhaps Illinois is leading the way. A new law goes into effect in June that will do just this. Don't just hold your nose, organize.

When Public Act 93-1084 goes into effect on June 1, former criminals may file petitions to seal records of certain offenses, including municipal ordinance violations, misdemeanors and some Class 4 felonies, such as prostitution and possession of up to 500 grams of cannabis. Among the crimes excluded from the legislation are drunken driving, violating an order of protection and any crime requiring sex offender registration.
To have records sealed, individuals must have been acquitted of an offense or had a conviction reversed. Convicted criminals are eligible if they stay out of trouble for three years after misdemeanor supervision or four years after completing a sentence, probation, parole or felony supervision. [Emphasis is mine.]