Criminal records can stand in the way of a job or housing. But with legalization, activists are helping clear people’s names
Lorenze Lanier, 32, spent his first decade as an adult in and out of prison for non-violent drug offenses. “I was 18. I didn’t know what to do, so I started selling drugs,” he said. He was living in Los Angeles’ Skid Row when he “caught” his first felony. And when he realized how severely his criminal record curtailed his prospects, he felt he had no choice but to continue selling drugs.
After three stints in prison, Lanier got a job at Walmart as an overnight stocker, but he didn’t see much opportunity to advance further. “Not only is it hard to get a job [with a criminal record], but the jobs you do get are not living-wage jobs,” he said.
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