San Francisco is the first U.S. county to dismiss over 8,000 cannabis convictions

The city of San Francisco has dismissed thousands of minor cannabis convictions.

The San Francisco District Attorney’s office made the announcement yesterday. The purge comes thanks to a computer algorithm that scans court records for cases that could qualify for expungement.

 

 

The office of the district attorney and non-profit Code for America (which seeks to improve government through the use of technology) have joined forces to develop the program to flag cases that could be eligible for dismissal based on the 2016 California law, Proposition 64, that legalizes adult use of recreational cannabis.

With @codeforamerica, the @SFDAOffice becomes the first county in the country to finish the automated marijuana record clearance process. 8,132 marijuana-related convictions have automatically been cleared. This adds to the 1,230 convictions that have already been expunged.

— George Gascón (@GeorgeGascon) February 25, 2019

“This makes San Francisco the first county in the country to complete the automated marijuana record clearance process,” reads a statement released by San Francisco District Attorney George Gascón.

Since the passing of Prop 64, people convicted of cannabis crimes that would not currently be considered illegal can petition the court to reduce their convictions from a felony to a misdemeanor—or overturn them completely. The caveat: convict had to petition the court by themselves, which can be expensive and time-consuming, limiting who had access to attempt to clear their record. Fewer than 25 people filed petitions in San Francisco last year, according to Gascón.

The DA announced to the public in 2018 that his office would sort through records to find cases potentially eligible for dismissal. In the spring, he announced the partnership with Code for America to develop an algorithm to streamline the process. The algorithm cut search times from hours to minutes.

“Using technology, we have been able to proactively bring greater racial equity and fairness to marijuana legalization in California,” said Gascón in a press release earlier this week. “I am thrilled to see other counties and states following suit by offering similar relief in their communities. It’s the right thing to do.”

The DA explains that the expungement of minor cannabis convictions is crucial to help marginalized or vulnerable people escape the effects of their record with regard to employment, housing, and other basic needs.

“If you are the mom or dad who wants to participate in the kids’ school activities and they’re being told you can’t go to that field trip because you have a felony conviction because you sold a nickel bag in the Tenderloin 10 years ago, that’s the people that we care about,” said Gascón, who also expressed hope that the project would help correct some of the racial disparities that result from cannabis convictions.

“This partnership also helps to address wrongs caused by the failed war on drugs, felt most strongly by communities of color.” the press release added. “In San Francisco, approximately 33% of all dismissed convictions involved African American people, and 27% involved Latinx people.”

Cases flagged by the system will be reviewed, then head to court to be sealed and dismissed.

San Franciscans seeking to re-classify dismiss or their records can contact the DA’s office at [email protected]