So, you or a loved one is facing a felony charge. You are scared and have an important question on your mind – What impact will a conviction have on my life?
A felony in Missouri is a serious matter because a conviction has major consequences, much more than those of misdemeanors. Convicted felons usually face hefty fines, prison time, other legal requirements and the burden of having a conviction on your record. After time is served, a convicted felon in the State of Missouri will need to know the long-term impacts. Many who are charged and convicted have a difficult road ahead and leading a normal life is incredibly difficult.
What challenges will a felony in Missouri conviction face?
1. Serving prison time, which is an inhospitable, horrific environment.
2. Public assistance and public living space are virtually impossible to obtain.
3. They may never work for a federal agency like the Post Office.
4. It may be very difficult to gain employment in the private sector.
5. Based on the conviction, a convicted felon involving nonviolent, financially motivated crimes may not be allowed to work in a job that handles currency.
6. Sex crimes make it impossible to work in education, childcare, health care and other areas of employment that put those involved at risk.
7. Simple background checks re-examine your crime and require constant explanation as red flags are raised anytime an employer, neighbor or the police officer looks into your background.
8. Felons cannot own guns.
9. Convictions follow you forever. Your name will be included in national databases like the National Crime Center or the FBI database.
10. As part of parole requirement, convicted felons may require life-long interactions with preventative groups, reporting and intrusive testing.
11. Clearing, or expunging, a criminal record is extremely difficult which will require a judge’s opinion about your clean record after your prison term is served.
12. Convicted felons cannot vote.
13. Depending on the offense, felons may not be able to apply for passports to visit other countries.
14. Life insurance can be difficult to obtain as many life insurance companies recognize the threats associated with convicted felons.
15. Many felonies make it difficult to obtain housing. Depending on the crime, like aggravated assault, sex crime or DWI offense, the required expectations to decrease the likelihood of a repeated offense.
16. Being a convicted felon drastically increases your chances of harsher punishments in the future.
If you or a loved one is facing a serious charge like this, it is important to take measures to hire the best criminal defense attorney possible. With 30 years of experience as attorneys in Springfield, MO, The Law Offices of Matthew | Russell | Dempsey have handled thousands of criminal cases on both sides. Call us today for a free consultation.
Read more posts about felonies in Missouri:
https://www.mrdlawyers.com/blog/what-is-a-class-c-felony-in-missouri
https://www.mrdlawyers.com/blog/how-can-a-dwi-attorney-help-with-a-felony-dui
For more a free consultation, contact us on our website or give us a call at (417) 882-2522.