When you commit a crime, you don’t just do the time—you face an array of lifelong challenges. The immediate punishments for a criminal conviction could include fines, community service, or a prison sentence, depending on the type and the severity of the crime. Misdemeanor defendants typically face a lighter sentence, with imprisonment lasting up to one year, whereas felony defendants may be imprisoned for over one year. While these initial punishments may seem like enough, both types of convictions come with damaging long-term consequences. Any criminal conviction can jeopardize your ability to work, rent, study, and even start a family.
Jobs and Licenses
Whether it’s a felony or a misdemeanor, a criminal conviction can severely limit your employment opportunities. While some employers have blanket policies against applicants with a criminal record, regardless of the specific offense, others prohibit applicants with certain types of convictions. For example, if you were convicted of theft, you can expect trouble getting hired as a cashier.
You could also lose a professional license or permit for certain crimes, depending on the licensing agency. Anyone specifically convicted of a sex offense, for instance, would lose their teacher or school administrator certificate, and they would generally be unable to work in school districts. If you are convicted of a felony, an agency could revoke your license or permit to work as a judge, a public accountant, a psychologist, or a major contractor, among several others.
Education and Student Aid
Are you thinking about applying to college or community college? If you have a conviction on your criminal record, the college admissions office may be able to find out. They could use your conviction as grounds to deny your admission into an educational program. If you get into college regardless, you may have more limited options for financial aid. Crimes involving the sale or possession of drugs make you ineligible for federal assistance like grants, student loans, and work assistance. Depending on whether it was a repeat offense, your ineligibility could last for a year or two—or indefinitely.
Housing and Social Services
Future landlords can also find your criminal record when they run a background check. They may use certain types of convictions as a reason to deny your application for residency. Certain felonies can even lead to eviction from public housing. This is usually left up to the landlord or housing authority’s discretion, but it usually depends on whether the crime affects other residents in terms of their health and safety. Elderly tenants are subject to different rules. As for other social services, specific crimes, like drug possession or use felonies, can restrict your eligibility for government benefits and food stamp programs.
Federal Rights
Anyone convicted of a felony immediately loses certain rights. You cannot vote, run for public office, or hold office, and you will be disqualified from jury duty for seven years. You also lose your gun rights, and any firearms permit you might have is automatically revoked. You may be able to restore these rights through a presidential pardon or other means, but the process can be complicated.
Other Limitations
Other restrictions are more specific to the crime, the state, and the situation. If a judge believes your crime reflects on your parenting abilities, a criminal conviction could become a deciding factor in a child custody case. If you have applied to be a foster parent or potential adoptive parent, you could be refused because of your criminal record. Some statutes apply directly to the type of crime, like sex crimes that require a convicted person to register on a sex offender’s list.
As you can tell, a criminal conviction can make your life very difficult after you’ve paid your fines or served your time in prison—even if you want to improve your situation by getting a job, an education, or a new place to live. This doesn’t mean you’re doomed to repeat your past mistakes, but it is important to understand the possible consequences. If you have been charged with a criminal offense, the best thing you can do is hire an experienced criminal lawyer as soon as possible. Contact the law office of Patrick McGeehan to start crafting an effective criminal defense. We will make sure you have the best possible chance for a positive outcome.