Myles Ambrose—2015 Fellow
Year: Class of 2017
Major: Political Science
Council on Crime and Justice
For my fellowship I partnered with the Council on Crime and Justice, an org which aims to make the criminal justice system more fair for both offenders and victims through research, community programs, and public policy advocacy. While at CCJ, I spent most of my time creating content for their website CriminalRecordsAftermath.com. The site is meant as a one stop shop for information on the collateral consequences of criminal records in Minnesota. I also spent time learning about Minnesota’s new expungement statute, which helps gives ex-offenders a second chance by sealing their criminal history and allowing them to avoid much of the stigma that goes along with having a criminal record.
Working with my supervisors, I researched various collateral sanctions placed upon those with criminal records, including restrictions on access to federal assistance, housing, and gun ownership. I also helped create a series of videos educating viewers on how to obtain and understand their full criminal histories. I hope the research I conducted and videos I created help people better understand their criminal record and its consequences, and maybe help them move past their criminal history and the burdens it places on them.