The Illinois Expungement/Sealing Statute

1. The Illinois Expungement/Sealing Statute Section 5 of the Criminal Identification Act, 20 ILCS 2630/5 Illinois Criminal Justice Information Authority

2. Basic Readability Statistics • 4,265 Words • 70 Sentences • 21 Paragraphs Average of 61 words per sentence Average of 3.3 sentences per paragraph Illinois Criminal Justice Information Authority

3. 1.) 242 words 2.) 209 words 3.) 195 words 4.) 182 words 5.) 181 words Runners-up: 1st) 174 words 2d) 159 (2) words 3d) 138 words Top 5 Longest Sentences * Gettysburg Address = 265 words Illinois Criminal Justice Information Authority

4. Use of Passive Voice Guidelines: • Popular fiction is usually under 5%. • Good Technical writing can be as high as 30%. Passive Sentences make up 55% of the statute. Illinois Criminal Justice Information Authority

5. Flesch Reading Ease(0 to 100) Guidelines: (100 = easiest to read) • Based on the average number of syllables per word and the average number of words per sentence. • Standard writing averages scores of 60 to 70. • Effective January 1, 2005, Agricultural production contracts should have a score of greater or equal to 50. • Illinois Public Act 93-522 (ironically the act itself only scores a 35.4) Illinois Criminal Justice Information Authority

6. Flesch Reading Ease(cont…) Document Score(s): Chicago Tribune & Sports Illustrated………………………60-70 Wall Street Journal ………………………43 20 ILCS 2630/5 ………………………..16.1 Home Equity Loan contract…………….12.7 Auto Insurance contract………………...12.3 Illinois Criminal Justice Information Authority

7. Flesch-Kincaid Grade Level Guidelines:(U.S. grade-school level) • Based on the average number of syllables per word and the average number of words per sentence. • A score of 12.0 means a high school senior would understand the document. • Standard non-fiction writing = 7-8 grades. • Most people are comfortable reading about two grades below the highest level of education they have completed. Illinois Criminal Justice Information Authority

8. Flesch-Kincaid Grade Level Occupation est. Grade Level: Neurologist……………………………………24 Astrophysicist…………………………………21 Criminal Justice Ph.D.………………………...21 Attorney (with LL.M.)………………………...20 Illinois’ Expungement Statute Flesch-Kincaid Grade Level: 27.4 Illinois Criminal Justice Information Authority

9. “Notwithstanding any other provision of this Act to the contrary and cumulative with any rights to expungement of criminal records, whenever an adult or minor prosecuted as an adult charged with a violation of a municipal ordinance or a misdemeanor is acquitted or released without being convicted, or if the person is convicted but the conviction is reversed, or if the person has been placed on supervision for a misdemeanor and has not been convicted of a felony or misdemeanor or placed on supervision for a misdemeanor within 3 years after the acquittal or release or reversal of conviction, or the completion of the terms and conditions of the supervision, if the acquittal, release, finding of not guilty, or reversal of conviction occurred on or after the effective date of this amendatory Act of the 93rd General Assembly, the Chief Judge of the circuit in which the charge was brought may have the official records of the arresting authority, the Department, and the clerk of the circuit court sealed 3 years after the dismissal of the charge, the finding of not guilty, the reversal of conviction, or the completion of the terms and conditions of the supervision, except those records are subject to inspection and use by the court for the purposes of subsequent sentencing for misdemeanor and felony violations and inspection and use by law enforcement agencies and State's Attorneys or other prosecutors in carrying out the duties of their offices.” - 20 ILCS 2630/5(h)(1) Illinois Criminal Justice Information Authority