How Does a Criminal Record Affect Your Life

Carrying yourself through life with due diligence is something that goes without saying. As children, we are taught right from wrong at a very young age and as we get older it becomes quite clear what is allowed and what is illegal. Throughout primary, middle, and high school, children and teens can and often do end up in some usual trouble as they test out the limitations of the rules and start to realize that there are consequences for doing certain things. Most people do not wish to compromise their likelihood so they respect the rules and guidelines and have a general sense of what is right and what is wrong. However, there are of course those who prefer taking shortcuts in life and who care not about what life on the edge brings. Trying to balance on the line between rules and illegal activity never ends well as it is only a time before the person makes a slip and gets in serious trouble. And serious trouble is often a light way of putting it.

Depending on the severity of one’s actions as well as the volume and total time doing it, their life can forever be changed and not for the better. Committing petty crimes and getting caught for it is enough to have a criminal record opened, a database of every crime one has been accused of with all the information that is relevant to it. Having a criminal record is not fun since it can really damage your future career and chances for many things in life. It is basically public and anyone can view it if they like. But how does it actually affect one’s life and what are some of the ways it can ruin one’s chances at important things? We explore this right here in this article as we bring you the most important consequences of having a criminal record to your name. Read on to find out more and be sure to check out lookupinmate.org if you ever need to carry out an online record of somebody.

Employment

Having a criminal record is enough to seriously ruin your chances at a dream job, even if you have no convictions and only a single charge. Finding good employment and a job that you will not mind going to every day becomes much harder even with a single offense on your record. You may also have consequences such as reduced earning potential at a job because of your criminal history.

Employees do not want to have to deal with someone who has had to deal with legal matters and the law in their past when there is a plethora of candidates without records. Even if the resume is one of the best at the moment, many are reluctant to go with it just in case it happens again. It is a legitimate thing to ask during an interview and something those who have records should make sure to talk about. Such an approach could help their case if they are close to finding a job.

Child Custody

More often than not, a parent with a criminal record has barely any chance to get custody of their children after a divorce. This is especially true if some of the charges involve domestic violence, abuse, or other violent acts toward people. A misdemeanor is often enough to lose the rights to custody. Those who ultimately decide who gets to keep the children after a pair goes through a dispute often take little time to decide if one of the parents has had charges or convictions against them.

They are simply viewed as less reliable and as a potential danger to the child(ren). All of this also applies when a person with a criminal past wants to adopt a child. It knocks them back down in the waiting list game and the evaluation process almost immediately.

Driving and Licenses

In some places, a criminal record may influence your ability and freedom to drive a car or ride a motorcycle. People with criminal records may lose their rights to a license if their record includes drugs or alcohol. Suspensions are almost obligatory and there could also be special courses as a form of rehabilitation before one can reacquire the license. The right to drive is definitely a luxury we tend to take for granted and it makes sense that offenders are closely evaluated based on their criminal activity. Driving is dangerous enough as it is so anything and anyone that can cause more harm is looked at from a closer point of view.

Education and Admission

Similar to finding quality work opportunities, having a criminal record can ruin your chances at higher education and admission to certain colleges and universities. Even misdemeanor limits the chances of gaining graduate school admission, let alone college. Every school has its own policies and it may not matter to some of them. Also, the severity and type of offense from one’s past matter a lot when the evaluation process hits this stage. Some of the most common offenses colleges do not take lightly to being sexual or drug-related. Financial aid like scholarships and other programs are things that become unavailable to those with criminal records seeking higher education.

Healthcare and Tutoring Limitations

When somebody has a criminal record they are unable to get a healthcare license and work in the field. The same goes for any type of teacher or tutor, and basically any job or responsibility that involves looking after others in some way. Misdemeanor convictions and even charges will greatly prevent you from ever doing such a job because the employers may deem you unsuitable, a liability, or even a danger to others based on your history.

Leasing and Renting

Last but not least, a criminal record tied to your name could cause you a world of issues whenever you want to lease or rent something. Landlords often do background checks and are unwilling to be involved with persons who have had criminal activity in their past, regardless of how long ago. Sexual offenses as well as those relating to violent behavior are the most common reasons people were unable to lease or rent, both vehicles and real estate.