If you are arrested and convicted of a crime at any point in your life, you will have a criminal record.
It’s estimated that one in three or over 70 million Americans has a criminal record, which can impact their lives in many ways. An option for some people with a criminal record is to have it expunged. While not all situations are eligible for this, if yours is, there are multiple benefits offered by taking this step.
Benefits of expunging your criminal record
There are several practical reasons to have your criminal records expunged. Some reasons you may be ready to take are likely based on the limitations of a criminal conviction. These include:
- Your employer may be able to terminate you if they find you have a prior conviction.
- An employer can deny a job to you if you have a criminal record, no matter when it occurred.
- Some criminal convictions may make you ineligible for federally funded assistance.
- Criminal history information is a public record.
- You might be denied housing.
- Your right to vote may be restricted.
- Your right to own a gun is restricted
Can your record be expunged?
There are several expunction statutes in North Carolina. While some limit this to just drug possession, others provide expunction for more offenses. Because of the different laws in place, it’s important to work with someone who understands the requirements to ensure you take the right steps to have your record expunged.
Protecting your rights in North Carolina
Even minor crimes that you weren’t convicted of can impact your life years later. Because of this, it may be time to consider expunction for your criminal record.