How a Criminal Record Affects Your Future
Getting arrested for any crime can have a surprising impact on your future. Each year many people are arrested for the first time and must go through the criminal trial process. Those who are convicted are given court ordered punishments that may include jail or prison time, probation, community service, fines, counseling, treatment, and educational courses. Even those who are found not guilty pay a price for their arrest in a less direct way. Any arrest or criminal charge, whether you were found guilty or not, will be kept on your criminal record.
Any person’s criminal record is available for public access and can be retrieved if requested. When you apply for a job, loan, school, or scholarship, the application will ask if you have ever been arrested or charged with a crime. Even if you had your charges dropped, you must answer “yes” to this question under the law. Having any kind of criminal record, no matter how minor, can hurt your professional, financial, and educational goals. It could also hurt your personal reputation with your loved ones, neighbors, and friends, leaving you feeling like an outcast.
Clearing Your Name
Sadly, even a person who was mistakenly arrested has to deal with the consequences of a criminal record. Fortunately under Florida law a person can have one arrest or charge removed from his or her record if the individual was not found guilty of the crime. This is done by either expunging or sealing the record.
Either of these options can remove your criminal record from public access so that you no longer have the stigma of an arrest or charge hurting your personal and professional life. If you have a past criminal record that seems to constantly limit your opportunities, consider talking with a criminal lawyer about the possibility of expunging or sealing your record.
Contact Us
Don’t let one mistake from the past continue to haunt your life. To learn more about having your criminal record removed from public access, contact the West Palm Beach criminal attorney, Eric N. Klein, today at 561-353-2800.
