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A criminal charge can result in more than jail time or a fine. It can affect you for life – potentially taking away various freedoms such as landing certain jobs or even getting into college. This post explains some of the ways a criminal record can negatively affect your life and what you can do to overcome a criminal record.

Getting a job

Employers have a legal right to carry out a criminal background check in all states. Some employers may decide not to hire you if it is revealed that you have committed a felony in the past. Some workplaces are more likely to carry out criminal background checks (e.g. schools, hospitals, nursing homes) than others. You may also find that certain crimes are more likely to get you rejected in certain industries (any cybercrime is likely to be an instant rejection when applying to an IT-related role). 

Getting into college

Regardless of your grades, some universities will not allow you admission if you have a criminal record. At the very least, you will be unable to receive financial aid if you have committed a drug-related or sexual offence. Smaller misdemeanours may be forgiven by some colleges, however the more prestigious universities may still reject you.

Renting property

In some states, landlords have a right to deny you a property if you have a criminal record. A criminal background check will usually be carried out alongside a credit check. Certain crimes are more likely to get you rejected than others. 

Adopting a child

In some states, you may also find it hard to adopt if you have a criminal record. Family-related crimes are more likely to be flagged up, preventing you from being able to adopt. If you already have children and break up with a partner, such crimes can also affect your ability to get custody.

Owning a firearm

In many states, certain crimes are likely to lose you your rights to own a firearm. Serious offences are most likely to have your rights taken away from you.

Traveling

You may not be able to travel to certain countries if you have a criminal record. Australia, Japan, Canada and the UK are just a few countries that may not allow you to enter their borders if you have previous criminal charges. 

Getting a green card

If you have moved to the US and are awaiting your green card, you may also find that a criminal charge results in your green card being rejected. In some cases, you may even be deported. For immigrants who have lived in the US for many years, this can be devastating.  

How to overcome a criminal record

Clearly, a criminal record can have a major negative impact on many aspects of your life. However, it doesn’t necessarily have to hold you back for life.

Firstly, different states have different laws regarding criminal records. In some cases, it may be possible to have certain criminal charges concealed after several years. For example, the likes of Pennsylvania recently passed its Clean Slate Law, which allows certain crimes to be sealed from public records after a certain amount of time has passed without a felony. This could mean that certain opportunities aren’t always closed off. 

You may also be able to seek the help of a lawyer to get certain criminal charges wiped from your record. If you can show that you are a reformed person, it’s often possible to get small misdemeanours from several years ago removed. Recent criminal charges are harder to get removed, but it’s possible that you may still have a case in some instances (for example, if new evidence comes to light that affects how you were charged). 

If concealing or wiping crimes from public records isn’t possible, the next best thing that you can do is to come clean before a criminal background check is made. For example, when applying for a job, you’re more likely to be hired if you tell an employer upfront about a criminal conviction than if you wait for them to run a criminal background check. In some states, an employer cannot run a criminal background check until they’ve provided you with an offer – it could be telling them about your criminal history at this point. In other states, a criminal background check can be made earlier, in which case you may want to own up to any felonies during your job interview. Make sure to do your research so that you know when a criminal background check is likely.