Second Chance for Georgia

Unlocking Opportunity Through Expungement

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Larry’s Story

I was convicted of a felony in 2003 and served five years on probation.  I received a pardon five years after that.  But that didn’t help at all.  16 years later, 10 years after the pardon, I still can’t get hired by a company that does a background check. In the public’s eyes, there is no difference between my felony conviction and someone convicted of murder.  Unless I can get my conviction expunged, I will never get a job with benefits and insurance because of the mistake I made.

I applied to and was denied at least 20 jobs.  Volkswagen, Erlanger Hospital, UPS, Fed Ex.  I was up front about my record and was told by one company that since I had a pardon, I would get hired, but then after two weeks of training, I was let go.  Even with Ban the Box, I get hired, go to training, only to be fired after my background check comes back.  I ended up moving away from Georgia to Texas where I had family who would hire me, but when my wife and I went to apply for an apartment, the landlord told me they couldn’t rent to us because of my background.  I will never forget the look on my wife’s face.  I was in my 40’s and still can’t provide for my family. I felt like a real failure. 

When I got arrested, I lost my job which messed up my credit really bad.  But in the 16 years since, I have worked on my credit.  My wife and I just bought a house two years ago.   I have a job now, but it’s in South Georgia so I have to be away from my family all week and only see them on weekends.  There is no retirement for me, no benefits. That hurts. I took full responsibility for my actions and pled guilty, but I didn’t know the consequences of my sentence would last a lifetime.  I’m a Trump supporting Republican and am pro-law enforcement.  But I also know that not everyone is a career criminal. At 49, it’s too late for me, but I hope my story will help others have a second chance for a life. 

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Second Chance for Georgia Campaign

The Second Chance for Georgia Campaign, led by the Georgia Justice Project (GJP), brings together a broad base of diverse stakeholders to speak with one voice about the need to expand Georgia’s expungement law to allow expungement of certain misdemeanor and felony convictions after a period of conviction free years.
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Contact Us

  • Ann Colloton
  • ann@gjp.org
  • 404-827-0027ext. 248

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