ROCKFORD, Ill – Earlier today, Senator Steve Stadelman and partners Prairie State Legal Services announced the opening of registration for the fifth annual Second Chances Summit. The summit will take place from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Feb. 21 at the Nordlof Center in downtown Rockford.

People who are eligible to have their criminal records sealed or expunged can obtain a free attorney to prepare their case to go before a judge at the summit.

"You can tell the people who come to the event, it’s a burden on the shoulders and they’ve been thinking about this for a long time. They’ve been wanting to do it. When they finally meet with an attorney, free of charge, and they can see the court processes happening and can appear before a judge and get that record sealed or expunged — It’s this huge relief off their shoulders. They’re able to move on with their lives. They’re proud of themselves." says Senator Stadelman.

Senator Stadelman saying based on personal accounts, he does believe second chances is making a difference. 

"I’m at an event or I’m hanging out at the YMCA, and people will come up to me constantly and say thank you so much for what you did because it allowed me to move on with my life. So when you hear that a lot on an anecdotal basis, you do get the feeling people are really helped out by this Second Chances Summit." add Senator Stadelman.

During the previous four summits, nearly 400 people met one-on-one with volunteer attorneys. Lifting the burden of charges that have a far reaching impact on many aspects of their lives. 

"Some people just want to have a clean record, have it cleared, stop living with that following them, but many people can’t get a job. This allows them to move forward with their life, become a productive member of society." says Wendy Crouch, Prairie State Legal Services Pro Bono Legal Coordinator. 

State Senator Steve Stadelman’s Second Chances Summit started in 2018. It will be David Blacks fifth year volunteering and reasoning for why has remained firm.

"Well I have a very strong feeling that having a criminal record shouldn’t be a life sentence. That people should have a second chance and without that second chance they’re going to face discrimination with housing and employment and other areas." says David Black, Second Chances Summit volunteer attorney.

By the end of the summit and even months down the road, most of the people who received a second chance are beyond grateful.

"Sometimes they hug us on the way out. Sometimes people have left in tears, happy tears." shares Crouch.

"I will sometimes meet them on the street and they’ll even say, you know I’ve got a great job now and I would never have been able to do this without this second chance." adds Black.

As far as the future goes, Black’s hopes are simple.

"I would like to be put out of business and have this become an automatic thing after a certain number of years." concludes Black.