The Georgia Justice Project will celebrate the grand opening of Athens Second Chance Desk with a ribbon cutting ceremony on Thursday, Sept. 28. With support from the Solicitor General’s Office of Athens-Clarke County and the District Attorney’s Office for the Western Judicial Court, the program will be a free resource to those living in Athens and Oconee Counties.
The main services that Second Chance Desk offers are assistance and legal direction for those with a criminal history. Staff members can help individuals restrict and seal eligible criminal records from cases originating in Athens-Clarke County or Oconee County. Restricting and sealing is a two-step process that limits the viewing of criminal history information in the state of Georgia, including arrest data and court records. Depending on case specific details, it is possible to clear certain felonies, misdemeanors and pending litigation. Records will still be accessible to law enforcement and government agencies, but limited to the general public.
Restriction and sealing can improve chances of employment, housing and education, among other opportunities. The Alliance for Safety and Justice reported in its 2023 National Survey of People With Records that more than half of individuals with a prior conviction faced difficulties obtaining a job, maintaining employment or making a living. The survey also found that those with misdemeanor convictions earn an average of just $26,900 a year, while those with felony convictions earn $23,000.
Procedures for restricting, sealing and expungement (complete removal of criminal records) are often complicated and unknown to most people. More than three in four individuals with a prior conviction have not cleared any of it from their record, despite existing laws in nearly every state allowing them to do so. The Second Chance Desk hopes to address this problem in the Athens community and remove barriers for those seeking a fresh start.
The Second Chance office, located in the ACC Public Utilities Department office at 124 W. Hancock Ave., will be open on the last Thursday of every month from 9 a.m.–1 p.m. Registration is required prior to appointments, which can be set up on the county government website.
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