Are there lifelong consequences of conviction?

After court, a conviction and the end of parole, that is the end of a criminal proceeding. After one has “served their time,” the consequences are over, right? Unfortunately, in the United States, that is not always the case, even for Conway, South Carolina, college students.

Employability consequences

A criminal record, even just an arrest, can follow students for their entire life. According to a recent study, over 70% of employers required a background check for employment. And, of those employers, over 80% automatically denied potential employees with criminal records.

This is not just for violent or sexual offenses either. Often, simply not having a clean record is an automatic disqualification, regardless of how long ago the Myrtle Beach offense was committed, or even the severity of the offense itself.

Why?

The specific reason why companies decide to blanket ban those with criminal records varies, but one common concern is liability. They fear that someone with a criminal record, any criminal record, is more likely to do something that will cost the company money. However, the liability issue has not been proven through any research. In fact, the risk of liability for most people convicted is likely the same for someone without a criminal record. After all, how does a minor drug or alcohol offense from decades ago make someone a liability for an office job now.

Options

Pre-conviction, the best option is to work out a South Carolina criminal defense to avoid conviction in the first place. However, when working on a plea-deal, look for charges that are expungable. Expungement, essentially, makes a criminal record disappear to most employers. This can give people a second chance at a life, unencumbered by one’s past Marion mistakes.