Rhode Island has recently changed its laws around expungement and sealing of criminal records.

The Rhode Island Public Defender office offers a resource guide on their website to help you determine if you might be eligible for expungement or sealing of your criminal record. To find the resource guide go to the website at www.RIPD.org  and click on Resources at the top of the web page.

For assistance with expungement you can also contact Aziza Hawthorne, (acting) RIPD Community Outreach Liaison (401-458-3057 or ahawthorne@ripd.org) for assistance if you are a current or former client of the Rhode Island Public Defender. If you were not a client of the Rhode Island Public Defender and you would like assistance filing for expungement but you are unable to hire a lawyer, you may contact the Removing Barriers to Employment program at Rhode Island Legal Services. Call (401) 274-2652 for assistance.

The Attorney General (AG) has also opened an office at 693 Broad St in Providence that is open two days a week to answer all kinds of questions and concerns from residents. The community office hours are from noon to 4:30 p.m. on Wednesdays and from 4 to 6 p.m. Thursdays. Staff at this office can also assist you in exploring expungement among other issues.

Also, be aware that in Rhode Island it is illegal for an employer to ask the question: “Have you ever been arrested?”