Delaware must join the ranks of U.S. states that provide ‘clean slate’ and, in turn, jobs Delaware recorded its first positive case of COVID-19 on March 11, 2020. A little more than a year later, Delaware’s economy, like so many others, is still feeling the impacts of the global pandemic. But as people begin to re-enter the workforce again, there is one group who may have a harder time finding work than most: the up to 400,000 people living with a Delaware criminal record. Under current Delaware law, there is a process for individuals with criminal records to obtain a legal expungement. But that process isn’t easy to navigate. Some expungements are mandatory, but others are discretionary. And unfortunately, a recent study shows that the pathway to either type of expungement is so complicated and costly that less than 6% of people eligible for expungement under Delaware law have made it through the process. Because they lack the ability to pay court fees and lawyers, most eligible people are still being unnecessarily held back by their criminal records, which prevent them from supporting their families, obtaining safe housing and securing stable employment opportunities.