Ventura County Residents Clear Criminal Records with Help from CRLA and Local Partners

Ventura, Calif. — Ventura County District Attorney’s Office, Ventura County Probation Department, People’s Justice Project, California Rural Legal Assistance, Inc. (“CRLA”), and The Colleges of Law – Ventura will host a free legal Clean Slate Clinic for Ventura County residents for criminal record expungement, felony reduction, and arrest record sealing on Friday, May 23, 2025, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at The Colleges of Law – Ventura campus located at 4475 Market St, Ventura, CA 93003. 

The purpose of the Clean Slate Clinic is to help eliminate barriers to employment and housing for individuals who have criminal records. A criminal record—no matter how old or how minor—can be a significant barrier to reentry for people when most employers, property managers, and universities use background checks to screen applicants. 

“Access to justice includes helping people move forward to rebuild their lives and plan for a better future,” said Erik Nasarenko, Ventura County District Attorney. “By supporting expungement clinics, we are reducing barriers to employment and housing, improving public safety, and investing in the long-term success of our community,” he said. “The Clean Slate Clinic empowers individuals to take action and chart a new path. It’s not about erasing accountability; it’s about incentivizing rehabilitation in hopes of restoring opportunity,” said Andrew Sullivant, Supervising Attorney, Ventura County District Attorney. 

“A criminal record represents a substantial and enduring obstacle standing in the way of individuals who have served their time,” said Joseph Doherty, Managing Attorney at CRLA, President of People’s Justice Project, and Professor of Law at The Colleges of Law. “By expunging criminal records, we are helping our community members become full, productive members of society once again and move past their prior offenses,” he said.

Even a misdemeanor conviction or probation violation disqualifies a person from a wide range of benefits and opportunities. The Clean Slate Clinic offers a way for people to restore their access to career opportunities, healthcare coverage, student financial aid, and other benefits like food stamps and low-income housing that improve stability and safety. 

Data collected by CRLA following previous Clean Slate clinics also indicate that community members who get their expungement petitions granted are not returning to the criminal justice system. 

When applying for most jobs, individuals who successfully expunge their criminal record can lawfully answer “No” if asked whether they have been convicted of a crime. Moreover, an employer is not permitted to consider an expunged conviction that is discovered through a background check in making a hiring decision. 

“Record clearing services allow individuals to obtain equal access to legal representation and justice and our law students are an essential part of that access,” said Jackie Gardina, Dean of the Colleges of Law-Ventura. “Through our law school’s Clean Slate Clinics, community members feel heard and seen through the expungement process, a feeling that many have never felt before.” 

The California Policy Lab estimates nearly 1 in every 8 Californians with a criminal record is potentially eligible to obtain a full criminal record expungement; 81% of Californians with a criminal record are estimated to be eligible to have at least one prior arrest or conviction expunged. 

If you are interested in clearing your criminal record at the Ventura Clean Slate Clinic on Friday, May 23, 2025, please make an appointment to receive services at (805) 902-CRLA or reentry@crla.org. Walk-ins are welcome but appointments are strongly preferred.