Given that the government has become so strict in the past few years with its laws, it is no longer unusual to have a criminal record. It may be something as common as a DUI or murder, but any kind of criminal record can impact your life significantly. When you do something against the law, your government records mark your activity. Since this information is public, anyone who runs a background check on you can find this out.
When faced with criminal charges, you must try to fight them as much as possible. A permanent criminal record can impact or even ruin your entire life. To effectively combat the charges against you, contact a criminal defence lawyer Vancouver.
How a criminal record impacts your life
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Employment.
It is no secret that most companies run a thorough background check on prospects before hiring. They may first ask you to tell them about your criminal record and provide government records as proof. Even if you lie and tell them you do not have one, they can still catch you. This is specially taken care of in jobs involving minor children, older people, or people with disabilities.
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Housing.
Nobody wants to rent their place to a person involved in criminal activities in the past. If you have a criminal record, you may find it challenging to find good homes or apartments. This affects not only you but also your family. Moreover, if you do not have decent housing, you could even struggle with custody or visitation rights. Some offenses can even get you banned from getting housing at all, leading to homelessness.
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Child custody.
A person with a criminal record is sure to experience difficulty with child custody matters. The court and the judge always prioritize the child over the parent. Therefore, if you had committed a crime in your past, you could lose your child. Even if you and your ex-spouse create an agreement, the judge may still reject it.
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Travel.
Depending on the severity of your crime, you may be denied entry visas to certain countries with restrictions, such as Australia. In cases when you do get the visa, you usually have to go through a longer process than others.
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Student aid ineligibility.
Sexual or drug-related offenses can rob you of the opportunity to seek federal student aid, leading to the unaffordability of college. However, for drug-related crimes, you may be able to fix the situation by attending drug rehab. Regardless of the crime, a criminal record can come in the way of getting an education.
As listed, a criminal record can impact your life in various ways. At one point, it becomes challenging to navigate through daily life. We recommend you seek legal help in Vancouver to overcome these issues.
