JACKSON – Those with criminal records and show a sincere desire to become productive members of society are deserving of a second chance.

That’s the feeling of many, including Tony Burnette, President of the Northampton County NAACP. He and his local organization are the effort behind the third annual

Operation Restore Hope program, scheduled for 6-8 p.m. on Wednesday, May 22 at the Northampton County Cultural & Wellness Center, located on NC 305 just north of Jackson.

“We started this program three years ago to help educate people in the local area about the expungement process,” said Burnette.

Expungement (also called “expunction”) is a court-ordered process in which the legal record of an arrest or a criminal conviction is “sealed,” or erased in the eyes of the law. When a conviction is expunged, the process may also be referred to as “setting aside a criminal conviction.”

“This will give people a second chance for more opportunities to get a better paying job without having their criminal record hold them back,” Burnette noted.

He added that local judges, attorneys, and the Northampton County Clerk of Court will be in attendance.

“They support this event,” Burnette said.

“We are asking each person who plans to attend this year to stop by the Clerk of Court office in their county of residence and bring a copy of their arrest/criminal record with them,” Burnette added.