Diversionary Programs and Records Erasure
Connecticut law provides for a number of diversionary programs for people arrested for many types of crimes. The purpose of these programs is to provide those who have been so charged with a meaningful opportunity to have their case dismissed and their arrest records erased.
In order to obtain a dismissal, participants in the programs are usually required to satisfy certain conditions set by the court such as attending educational programs, performing community service, receiving treatment for any mental health and/or substance abuse problems and have no new arrests. The time period of these programs varies but they do not exceed two years.
These diversionary programs are available for a wide variety of criminal and motor vehicle offenses. They do not entail a plea of, or a finding of guilty by the court. There is no conviction of any type as a result of participation in these programs. Upon successful completion of any program, the case is dismissed by the court. In the event the program is not successfully completed the case is restored to the regular docket.
Once a criminal case is dismissed a defendant is entitled to the erasure of his/her criminal records as provided by law. Those records consist of court, prosecutor and police records. In addition, a person whose records have been erased is deemed to have never been arrested and is able to so swear under oath.
Finally, media entities who post arrest stories on the internet will either remove them, update the article reflecting the dismissal and/or indicate to external search engines like Google, not to include the story in search results upon receiving documentary proof from the court that the case was dismissed. Counsel arranges for obtaining a certified copy of the disposition from the clerk of the court and provides that to the media entities.