How Your Criminal Record Hurts You

Long after you serve your time and pay your fines, your record will continue to haunt you. It will make it difficult to get a job, an apartment, a license, a loan, and government benefits. It will even stop you at the Canadian border and others.

The true punishment of any criminal conviction is not the sentence, it's the criminal record. At some point, the probation will be over but you will never outlive your record.

EMPLOYERS WILL USE IT
AGAINST YOU

In many states, you can be denied employment for no other reason than a criminal conviction.

OTHERS WILL USE IT AGAINST THEM

Your employer may have more to lose than you over a prior conviction. At least twenty eight states hold employers liable for negligent hiring and retention. Failing to perform background checks can be a significant factor.

EMPLOYERS CAN SHARE YOUR RECORD

Some states allow employers to pass your criminal record on to other employers. These laws make them immune from any claim of invasion of privacy or defamation.

EDUCATION, CHILDCARE & HEALTHCARE

Most states have a legal duty to disclose criminal information on any employee, contractor, or volunteer who has access to children, disabled persons, or vulnerable adults. These laws impose a special obligation on employers to access and consider this information.

THE CANADIAN BORDER

Anyone who has traveled into Canada since 9/11 should have noticed big changes at the border. No one gets in without identification, more cars are searched and more background checks are run.

A THREAT TO NATIONAL SECURITY

Canada's Immigration Act excludes individuals who "pose a threat to public health, safety, order and national security."

This list includes all felony convictions, many misdemeanors, including DUI, and other criminal acts whether or not there was a conviction .

CLEARING YOUR RECORD IN THE U.S. WILL NOT CLEAR YOUR RECORD IN CANADA

Even if you clear your record in the U.S., you must still seek special permission to enter Canada.
For more details, see our companion site CanadasBorder.com.
Click here to find out how to clear your record.

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We have made this Web site and provided these materials for informational purposes only.
This is not a legal opinion or legal advice. It is not intended to create nor does it create an
attorney-client relationship. No one should act upon this information without seeking
professional counsel. If you are interested in legal services, please contact us so that
we may place you in touch with a qualified attorney from your state.

? 2005. Clear Your Record Law Firm, LLC.