The Los Angeles and San Joaquin counties have inked a partnership with Code for America to enable the district attorneys to clear more than 50,000 marijuana convictions faster. The DA in these counties will be using the nonprofit’s algorithm which will help prosecutors by evaluating whether a pot conviction case is eligible for dismissal or resentencing.
Recreational pot use was legalized in California in 2016. The Assembly Bill 1793 was signed into law by the governor last year. It gave district attorneys until July 1st, 2020 to review the convictions that are eligible for expungement or downgrading and then take the necessary steps to do so.
These counties have been working with Code for America since July last year to examine marijuana conviction data. Automating the entire process should enable them to clear the cases more quickly compared to entirely manual processes. There are more than 50,000 eligible cases in Los Angeles county and around 4,000 in San Joaquin County. Code for America’s Clear My Record system has previously helped San Francisco clear its over 8,000 pot convictions.
“As technology advances and the criminal justice system evolves, we as prosecutors must do our part to pursue innovative justice procedures on behalf of our constituents,” said Los Angeles County DA Jackie Lacey, adding that this partnership will improve people’s lives by erasing the mistakes of their past and help them on the path to a better future.
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