Nonprofit's HashBash treasure map helps pay fees to clear criminal records

EASTPOINTE, Mich. (FOX 2) - This upcoming weekend marks the return of Hash Bash to the campus of the University of Michigan.  

While the fight for legalization of marijuana has been achieved.. there are still causes some are fighting for - including an effort to help people clear their criminal record.

This year one nonprofit is putting a spin on things, allowing guests to buy treasure maps and collect prizes while helping expunge criminal records at the same time.

"These are all the gifts you can find on your hunt," said Josey Scoggin.

As the director of the Great Lakes Expungement Network, Scoggin works with people who have done the time for their crime and now thanks to clean slate laws, are eligible for that crime to be wiped from their record.

"We have over 2,000 clients right now in all 83 counties here in Michigan," she said.

She says the process costs about $2,000 per expungement - costs the nonprofit is designed to help cover.

"We file those applications for you, represent you in court, but also pay for the Uber rides to court, fingerprinting, the notary, the whole shebang," she said.

So the money to pay for all this has to come from somewhere - so Josey thought, why not the HashBash.  Three years ago, she started selling treasure maps.

"It’s $50 for the map and includes $200 worth of cannabis," she said.

Scoggins got local businesses to buy in, and donate the goods.

"You go to each space and you get a free gift. There are eight dispensaries with eight different cannabis gifts," she said. "We have 24 brands which donated top notch products. Everything from hash and flower to concentrates, edibles, drinks."

Each year she says, the maps sell out.

"Last year we did 27,000, this year we are looking at about 55,000." Scoggins said.

You can purchase if you are over 21 years old at the site: Givebutter.com/hashbashtreasurehunt and you have until April 8th to finish the adventure.

"They get you to 13 different areas all across Ann Arbor," she said. "All the gifts are free without purchase and all the money goes to the Great Lakes Expungement Network."

As for who is eligible for a clean slate, according to Michigan.gov you can have up to three felonies and unlimited misdemeanors, excluding certain assault or weapons offenses and felonies that carry a maximum sentence of life in prison.