Millions of Americans have a criminal record lurking in their pasts, and as a result, the hardships they face can be numerous. Without a spotless background, many difficulties can occur and until you are aware of these, it might be too late. An expungement of your criminal record can help with the encumbrances that might befall you as you live your life. With an expungement, you can rise above the mistakes in your past. The following are ten reasons of which you should be aware that would necessitate getting an expungement.
- Employment – Often times, employers will deny jobs to those applicants with a criminal record. In some states, employers even have the right to terminate current employees that are found to have had a criminal conviction.
- Education – As of 1998, the Higher Education Act made students that are convicted of any drug-related offense to be ineligible for grants, loans, or work assistance. In addition, with a criminal record, you might be disqualified from certain graduate programs and you could be prevented from attending the university of your choice.
- Loans – With a criminal record, you could be ineligible for a loan or it could amount to higher interest rates if you are granted a loan. As mentioned above, certain offenses can eradicate the opportunity for a student to receive financial aid.
- Licensing and Certifications – In certain professions, certifications are necessary to become licensed. These certifications can require a criminal background check, and having a record can exclude you from being certified or licensed. There are no standards that govern the relevance of a person’s conviction records for occupational licenses in over half of the United States.
- Housing – When leasing from a private landlord, by law they can legally deny you housing if you have a criminal conviction.
- Insurance Rates – If you have a criminal record, it can often result in higher insurance premiums. With some offenses, you can be considered a high-risk applicant and you can be considered uninsurable.
- Firearms Rights – A criminal conviction can greatly restrict your right to bear arms and own a firearm. Your rights to hunt could be limited to bow hunting or muzzle-loading firearms.
- Volunteering – Almost any volunteer position that involves participation with youth and youth activities requires a background check to verify a clean criminal record.
- Adoption – To become a foster parent or adopt a child, a background check will be conducted. Fifteen states ban applicants that have criminal records from becoming adoptive or foster parents.
- Federal Assistance – Eligibility for federally assisted housing can be negated based on a previous arrest, even those that never resulted in a conviction. In several states, a prior conviction can ban applicants from eligibility for federally funded public assistance and food stamps.