Does a criminal conviction affect my ability to secure a job?

It can be difficult for anyone to gain employment. It’s particularly challenging if you have a criminal record, though. Your convictions never disappear off your permanent record, as happens with a bankruptcy here in the United States. Any conviction is instead something that sticks with you forever. It can affect your ability to not only secure employment but to also qualify for housing, enroll in an academic program and in other areas of your life.

How many people have criminal records in the U.S., and how does their record impact them?

National Inventory of Collateral Consequences of Conviction (NICCC) data captures how at least one-third of Americans, or 77 million individuals, have criminal records.

That same data also captures how at least 1.7 million Americans who find themselves jobless have felony convictions on their record. The NICCC estimates that these individuals could generate as much as $78 billion in annual revenue for U.S. employers if they could only secure a job. Many criminal justice analysts argue that much of the U.S.’s high recidivism rate can be attributed to many ex-cons’ inabilities to retain or secure a job.

A person’s job prospects become limited if they desire to work in a field that requires an occupational license. The NICCC has recorded at least 15,000 examples of how federal and state statutes restrict applicants from obtaining an occupational license if they have a criminal record.

Criminal convictions and job scarcity

NICCC data also shows how at least 600,000 among the 77 million Americans with criminal convictions on their record end up being released back into the community each year. Countless individuals become of age to enter the workforce each year that don’t have criminal records, thus diminishing the prospects of a felon securing a job over someone who doesn’t.

One factor that very few people in the criminal justice system highlight when a defendant is facing charges is how a defendant’s job prospects may look different should a conviction happen in their case. Your inability to earn a living is significant in such an instance, though.

/If you’re facing criminal charges here in Rock Hill, then you’ll want to consult with a criminal defense attorney who’ll be honest about your future job prospects if a conviction happens. You’ll also want to align yourself with a lawyer who intends to fight for the best results for you in your South Carolina case.