Here’s How a Criminal Conviction Could Affect You

It can be scary to face criminal charges. After all, the stakes are high, and you’ve probably never been in this position before. With so much on the line, you might find yourself tempted to take a plea deal offered by the prosecution. However, doing so may not be in your best interests. Before you get that far, you need to have a true understand of the implications of a criminal conviction. We hope that this blog post will provide some insight.

Employment

A criminal conviction is probably going to lead to job loss. Not only that, but a conviction will also make it hard for you to find new employment. This is especially true if your conviction is a felony. Most employers have policies and background checks that will significantly hinder you job prospects. This, in turn, can leave you facing serious financial difficulties. You might struggle to pay for your utilities, your rent, your mortgage, your car payment, and any other bills you might have waiting for you.

Housing

As mentioned, your housing can also be severely impacted if you’re convicted of a criminal offense. Sure, a conviction can affect your employment and your finances, thus making it difficult to make ends meet, but many landlords won’t even lease to convicted felons. Therefore, you might have a hard time finding a place to live. When you do find a place, it’s probably not going to be what you hoped for.

Professional license

If you’re a professional, then your license to practice is in jeopardy if you’re convicted a crime. Many convictions will at least lead to a suspension, which can damage your professional reputation and your finances. A conviction for a serious offense could lead to license revocation, which can completely upend your life.

Child custody

Let’s not forget how far reaching the damages from a criminal conviction can be. If you’re convicted of an offense, then your child’s other parent may use that against you to try to modify custody in a way that limits your access to your child. This can harm your relationship with your child for years to come.

Driving privileges

Some criminal convictions, such as those involving drunk driving, can lead to license suspension and revocation. This can make it even harder for you to make it to work or find a job, secure housing, and even get your child to and from school and medical appointments. It can also be costly if you’re forced to install an ignition interlock device.

College admissions

If you’re hoping to further your education, then a criminal conviction might harm you here. Many schools look at your entire record, including your criminal record, to see if you’re a good fit. If you have a conviction on your record, then the school might not accept you. Even if the school does accept you, you might have a hard time finding funding since many federal student loans aren’t available to those who are convicted of certain offenses.

Don’t let a criminal conviction ruin your life

This information can be overwhelming and downright frightening, but we share it with you because we want you to take your criminal charges seriously. The good news is that you probably have criminal defense options available to you. These defense strategies might lead to reduced charges or penalties, or they could lead to dismissed charges or an acquittal. That’s why you should do everything in your power to figure out how to best advocate for yourself and fight back against aggressive prosecutors. Hopefully then you can get past this chapter of your life and get back to normalcy.