How A Criminal Conviction Can Affect Your Family
According to a report by the Center for American Progress, one in three adults has a history of crime. It means that almost half of the children in the United States have at least one parent or guardian with a criminal record – yep, criminal conviction is that common!
By now, you know you don’t need to grace the cold floor of a jail cell to be charged with a crime that permanently goes on your record.
Even a criminal record from a misdemeanor could rattle the basic building blocks of financial and economic security. Plus, it will also affect your loved ones. Here are some ways a criminal conviction and a record can negatively affect your family.
Debt
There are numerous costs and expenses your family will incur during legal proceedings.
These expenses include the cost of hiring a lawyer or public defender, pay-to-stay fees, costs incurred during the investigation, things like GPS ankle bracelets, and more.
The Ella Baker Center for Human Rights reported that 85% of citizens released from jail incurred hefty criminal-justice debt. By the time your family is done paying all these fees, they might have little to nothing left. As a result, any sort of criminal conviction is unnecessary.
Housing Instability
Most landlords and property managers typically avoid potential tenants with a criminal record or any sort of criminal conviction.
Ella Baker Center’s study reveals that 79% of ex-cons who have re-integrated into society have difficulty finding homes. If you are the breadwinner in charge of finding a suitable home, your family might have to move often.
As a result, your loved one’s quality of life and even education will be severely disrupted, not to mention the emotional turmoil of being the new kid every now and then.
Inability To Adopt A Child
Imagine a scenario where you have been trying for a baby without luck. The alternative would be to adopt a child and give them a loving home to grow. However, any sort of criminal conviction can be a massive barrier.
There is a high chance the judge will use your history of crime against you in a family court. You could go to a lawyer to help fight for your rights and start the process of obtaining documents of pardon.
The court will allow you to foster a child after you demonstrate reformed behavior to them and follow your lawyer’s advice.
Barriers To Education
A staggering 66% of colleges and institutions of higher learning conduct background checks on prospective students before they grant them admission.
Your family might feel devastated because they can’t find a credible university to admit you. The effects on your family become even more devastating if your family lies in the low-income bracket or people of color.
If you are a parent or guardian, your lack of a post-secondary education might limit your earning potential, forcing your family to continue living in poverty.
Diminished Job Prospects
Any type of criminal conviction could hinder you from attaining stable employment because employers are wary about hiring ex-convicts.
According to a criminal defense lawyer, most people who have been incarcerated tend to struggle for jobs after release. Without a steady stream of income, your family will struggle to obtain basic needs such as food, clothing, shelter, and education.
Lack of employment also prevents you from saving for your family’s future and investing in assets you could leave for your children once you are no more.
Challenges With Transportation
The law will charge you with a DUI and DWI if the police catch you drunk driving. The law also stipulates that it can suspend your license for a prolonged time period.
Even if you secure a job, you won’t be able to drive yourself to and from work. Your loss of driving privileges also strains the family because you can’t drop the kids off at school or pick them up after class.
In addition, you will have to rely on others to ferry you around till you get your license back.
Wrapping Up
Our family members are among the first people we interact with when we are born. Our families carry us through the good and bad times. However, a criminal record can strain familial ties. And make life harder for the household members, especially if the one holding the record is a breadwinner.
Children, in particular, end up suffering a massive blow when parents cannot provide. Or are sent off to jail, leaving them in the care of a single parent or relative.
If someone has charged you with a crime, then you should do your best to avoid a conviction. Seek help from a good lawyer to help you avoid a criminal conviction that could end up affecting you and your loved ones for a long time.
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