Nearly 1.6M criminal records cleared under Michigan ‘clean slate’ law

April 14, 2026

Michigan has automatically expunged nearly 1. 6 million criminal convictions since implementing its Clean Slate Act program in 2023, following bipartisan legislation signed in 2020. The law allows misdemeanors to be automatically cleared after seven years and eligible felonies after ten years, with limits of four misdemeanors and two felonies per person, though serious crimes like murder and sexual assault remain ineligible.

Who is affected

Approximately 1.6 million Michiganders who have had convictions automatically expunged (exact number of individuals unknown as some had multiple convictions)
More than 15,000 Detroiters who cleared records through Project Clean Slate
Roughly 168,000 Detroit residents who now qualify for automatic expungement (about 4% of the city's population)
People in their 60s and 70s who lived most of their lives with convictions on their records
Individuals seeking employment, housing, volunteer opportunities, and cross-border travel to Canada
Prime-age adults with criminal convictions who earn 30% less than those without records

What action is being taken

Michigan State Police is notifying courts on a daily basis of eligible convictions for expungement through an automated process
Project Clean Slate is sending clients' expungement records to a background company clearinghouse to remove criminal history from multiple companies
The City of Detroit continues helping residents clear their records through Project Clean Slate

Why it matters

This initiative represents a significant criminal justice reform that addresses lifelong consequences of past convictions. Research demonstrates that people with criminal records earn 30% less than those without, creating substantial economic barriers. Beyond employment and housing discrimination, criminal records prevent people from basic activities like volunteering for their children's field trips or visiting family members in Canada. The program provides both economic opportunity and dignity to individuals who have served their time, recognizing that permanent punishment for certain offenses is neither productive nor efficient for society. With nearly 1.6 million convictions expunged, this represents one of the largest-scale efforts to remove barriers facing formerly convicted individuals.

What's next

No explicit next steps stated in the article

Read full article from source: bridgedetroit.com