COLUMBIA, Md., March 14, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- GCOM, the leader in outcome-driven technology solutions for state and local government, and the Connecticut Department of Emergency Services and Public Protection (DESPP), announced that approximately 44,000 records of Connecticut residents had their low-level cannabis possession convictions expunged from their records as part of the state’s Clean Slate initiative. This effort was executed as part of a long-term Computerized Criminal History (CCH) modernization project executed by GCOM on behalf of the DESPP. The project was conducted under Connecticut’s existing contract with IDEMIA. Under this contract, IDEMIA provides integrated services and components that seamlessly integrate with Connecticut’s master system.
With traditional record expungement processes, individuals may not realize they are eligible for erasure, or they may lack the time, knowledge, and financial resources to initiate the process. Clean Slate is a bipartisan policy model that applies technology to automatically clear criminal records if a person remains crime-free for a specified number of years. Under this model, non-violent offenders have more opportunities to get a fair-paying job, purchase a home, and contribute to their communities.
In a press release published on December 6, 2022, Connecticut Governor Ned Lamont stated, “Thousands of people in Connecticut will have low-level cannabis convictions automatically erased due to the cannabis legalization bill we enacted [in 2021]. Especially as Connecticut employers seek to fill hundreds of thousands of job openings, an old conviction for low-level cannabis possession should not hold someone back from pursuing their career, housing, professional, and educational aspirations.”
The challenge with implementing Clean Slate initiatives is that criminal history data is often entered in different formats and stored across different courthouses and law enforcement agencies. Many states don’t have the data sharing and technical infrastructure needed to verify that individuals meet the criteria for their records to be expunged.
DESPP partnered with GCOM through IDEMIA, a leader in identity security and authentication services to governments and private companies, to develop a Clean Slate automated erasure system as part of its CCH modernization effort. GCOM’s CCH Management System is purpose-built following service-oriented architecture (SOA) principles for maximum configuration flexibility. This flexibility allowed GCOM to rapidly adjust to Connecticut’s legislative developments and support the state’s Clean Slate initiative.
“Record expungement can have a transformational impact on people's lives, and we’re honored to partner with DESPP to successfully and accurately execute against its CCH modernization and Clean Slate initiatives,” said Rahul Puri, Chief Product Officer, GCOM. “Our GCOM CCH has long supported the ability to process Seal Orders, Full & Partial Expungement Orders, and Petitions through a feature-rich, robust platform that can be configured to significantly improve the efficiency and accuracy of a state’s current expungement processes.”
As of January 1, 2023, approximately 44,000 cannabis erasure transactions were successfully processed with no errors, and 3,659 expungement messages were submitted to the FBI via COLLECT with no issues. These cannabis erasures mark the first phase in Connecticut’s robust Clean Slate initiative. The Clean Slate automated erasure system is expected to be fully implemented during the second half of 2023.
“States nationwide are supporting initiatives like Clean Slate in Connecticut. As an organization that focuses on secure identity validation and verification solutions, it’s important that everyone know what they can do to make sure their personal identity information is accurate, while taking advantage of programs like this,” said Casey Mayfield, Senior Vice President, Justice and Public Safety, IDEMIA I&S North America. “Under this contract, IDEMIA provides integrated services and components that seamlessly integrate with Connecticut’s master system. The partnership with GCOM takes this a step further to ensure the automated erasure system works, allowing thousands of people to take advantage of this initiative.”
More information about GCOM’s CCH solution and Clean Slate integrations is available on their website.
To learn more about IDEMIA I&S North America visit their website.
About GCOM:
GCOM delivers outcome-driven technology solutions to state and local government that improve
population wellbeing, create safer and more equitable communities, and foster a thriving economy. GCOM’s SaaS solutions, coupled with its IT and data analytics services, help governments to provide real-world program impact for residents. Spanning health and human services, public safety, and economic development, GCOM’s solutions include several purpose-built products focused on the Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Children (WIC), advanced tax analytics, self-sovereign identity, community health analytics, and more.
About IDEMIA I&S North America:
IDEMIA I&S is a leader in identity security and authentication services to governments and private companies, operating in North America. Our mission is to help people access what matters most more quickly, more safely, and more securely, in both the physical and the digital worlds. Our best-in-class technology helps to authenticate and secure physical and digital transactions. IDEMIA is recognized by the National Institute of Standards (NIST) as a top-ranking participant in the Institute’s passenger facilitation simulation testing as well as in its regular Face Recognition Vendor Test (FRVT) rankings, reinforcing the trustworthiness and reliability of IDEMIA’s facial recognition solutions for government and consumers alike.
