How can a criminal record in Georgia affect me?
A criminal record can affect almost every area of your life. An estimated 48,000 different legal restrictions in the U.S. can affect someone with a criminal record. They can limit:
- Employment and promotion opportunities
- Housing
- Licensing for certain jobs
- Voting
- Education
- Firearm possession
- Right to adoption and be a foster parent
- And many others . . . .
These limitations prevent people with criminal records from getting employment, licensing, housing, voting, education, possessing a firearm, and other opportunities. They are usually not part of the person’s criminal sentence. Even after someone completes their criminal sentence, their record can continue to be used against them. For some people, this punishment lasts their entire lives, unless they take steps to expunge and seal their record.
The National Inventory of Collateral Consequence of Conviction (NICCC) lists the many limitations that can affect someone with a criminal record. You can visit their website here for more information.
NICCC defines these limitations as “collateral consequences”:
Collateral consequences are legal and regulatory restrictions that limit or prohibit people convicted of crimes from accessing employment, business and occupational licensing, housing, voting, education, and other rights, benefits, and opportunities.
Some collateral consequences serve a legitimate public safety or regulatory function, such as keeping firearms out of the hands of people convicted of violent offenses, prohibiting people convicted of assault or physical abuse from working with children or the elderly, or barring people convicted of fraud from positions of public trust. Others are directly related to a particular crime, such as registration requirements for sex offenders or driver’s license restrictions for people convicted of serious traffic offenses. But some collateral consequences apply without regard to the relationship between the crime and opportunity being restricted, such as the revocation of a business license after conviction of any felony. Frequently consequences also apply without consideration of the time passed between the conviction and the opportunity being sought or the person’s rehabilitation efforts since the conviction.
Are you dealing with the consequences of a criminal record? Are you eligible for a pardon or restriction? Call us to get started on your case today!
Related posts:
- How do I get a copy of my official criminal record in Georgia?
- Can I get my record expunged in Georgia?
- About pardons in Georgia
DISCLAIMER: THE ABOVE STATEMENTS ARE GENERAL INFORMATION AND THE CIRCUMSTANCES OF YOUR CASE MAY BE DIFFERENT. DEVETTER LAW MAKES NO GUARANTEE OF ANY OUTCOME. THE ABOVE IS NOT LEGAL ADVICE AND NO ATTORNEY-CLIENT RELATIONSHIP IS CREATED BY PROVIDING THIS INFORMATION.
