An Overview of the Impact of a Drug Conviction on Life
Getting convicted of a drug crime, whether misdemeanor drug possession or felony conviction, can cause unforeseen negative consequences. In addition to the initial penalties you may receive for a conviction, such as jail time or probation, your criminal history will majorly impact your future opportunities. The criminal justice system is built against those accused of a crime, and police officers and prosecutors do not care about your future and your life.
However, it is essential not to lose hope if you have been convicted of a drug crime, as there are many ways to turn your life around and begin a new chapter. If you are facing drug charges or have been convicted of a drug crime, you must seek legal help. The lawyers at Hirsch Law Group have been helping clients deal with the criminal legal process for over 15 years, and we have seen how unfair the criminal justice system can be.
Our lawyers are ready to help you with whatever legal service you need, whether it is fighting drug charges, expunging a criminal record, or helping you turn your life around after a conviction. Our team is built up of former prosecutors, and we use this unique experience to help fight against the criminal system and protect our client’s best interests. We prioritize ensuring you get the best possible outcome for your criminal case and future.
Contact us at 815-880-1134 to schedule a free consultation.
Negative Effects of a Criminal Conviction
Many people charged with crimes involving illegal drugs suffer from addiction or dependency, meaning their decision-making ability is seriously compromised. As such, most people do not consider the serious circumstances of a criminal conviction and what this can mean for their future opportunities. However, being convicted in Illinois can have long-lasting consequences that last much longer than the initial arrest and sentencing.
Penalties
The first thing people must overcome from a conviction is the penalties. Penalties for drug crimes can include jail time, fines, probation periods, community service, court-ordered rehabilitation programs, and mandatory drug testing. The severity of the penalties you receive will depend on the seriousness of your crime. For example, possession of drug paraphernalia may result in a lower sentence than drug dealing.
Although many drug convictions result from addiction, the criminal system punishes people for their mistakes rather than allowing them to recover from their addiction and turn their lives around. Criminal penalties can often cause people with drug addiction problems to continue using drugs and thus commit further crimes.
To break this cycle of crime, you must try to avoid harsh sentencing and take steps to get the help you need, such as speaking with a lawyer to try and get your case dismissed or going to an addiction treatment center.
Criminal Record
Once you have received a drug conviction in Illinois, you will have a permanent criminal record. With a criminal record, you will face further difficulties that can make it much more difficult to turn your life around. Firstly, your criminal history will come up when a prospective employer conducts a background check for a potential job. Employers are often reluctant to hire those with a previous drug conviction.
Your criminal record will also be available to any person or body that conducts a background check, such as an educational or financial institution. As such, you may find it difficult to get accepted to a school or get a loan from a bank. Secondly, your criminal records may affect your ability to get custody of your children and may look bad for future arrest or legal issues.
Lastly, you may have certain rights revoked, such as your right to vote, your right to bear a firearm, and your right to operate a vehicle within the state. With a revoked driver’s license, carrying out day-to-day tasks such as work or bringing your children to school can be difficult.
Turning Life Around After a Drug Conviction
Although receiving a drug conviction may seem like the end of the road, you mustn’t lose hope and focus on getting your life back on track, as many routes can make this much easier. It is important to remember that although the criminal system is built against you, many resources and people care about your well-being and want to ensure you can get your life back on track.
Expunge Your Criminal Records
Depending on your situation and the drug conviction you received, it may be possible to expunge or seal your records. With a sealed record, you can apply for jobs much easier and not have to disclose your criminal records to anyone who requests them. As such, you may be able to find employment, access housing, go to college, and get your life back on track much easier.
The legal process of expunging or sealing a record can be complex and require time, knowledge, and effort. As such, you must contact an experienced criminal defense attorney that can help you through this process.
Attend a Rehabilitation Center
As noted above, many drug convictions result from addiction or substance abuse problems. The best way to get your life back on track after a conviction is to begin the process of rehabilitation and try to get sober. In Illinois, many rehabilitation centers offer a wide range of options to those struggling with addiction. This could include an in-house rehabilitation center, daily out-of-house programs, or support groups.
Avoiding criminal penalties and getting court-ordered rehab instead of prison time or probation may be possible. This way, you may be able to avoid a permanent criminal record and have the opportunity to start a new chapter of your life free from addiction.
Educational and Career Opportunities
Education and job opportunities often serve as the backbone of the transformation journey after a drug conviction. These are crucial to reintegrating into society and achieving a meaningful and productive life.
Importance of Furthering Education
Continuing education after a drug conviction is important to rebuilding your life. Education opens the door to more job opportunities and instills a sense of purpose and self-worth.
- Community Colleges: Many community colleges offer flexible schedules and a wide range of courses suitable for different interests and career paths. These colleges often provide supportive environments for individuals rebuilding their lives.
- Vocational Training: Vocational training or trade schools offer practical, skill-based education that can lead directly to job opportunities. Fields like carpentry, culinary arts, or technology may be less impacted by a criminal record and can provide a stable income.
- Online Learning: The Internet offers various learning opportunities, from free courses to degree programs. Online education can be an accessible and flexible option for those managing other aspects of their recovery simultaneously.
Job Opportunities after a Drug Conviction
Navigating the job market with a criminal record can be challenging but not impossible. Understanding your options, rights, and where to seek help is key.
- What’s possible: Many industries are more forgiving to individuals with a criminal record, such as construction, manufacturing, or service industries. Some companies even have policies to hire individuals with a criminal background as part of their social responsibility initiatives.
- How to pursue it: Start by identifying your skills and interests, then look for jobs matching them. Being upfront about your past in job interviews can be beneficial, focusing on the lessons you’ve learned and how you’ve grown since your conviction.
Volunteer Work
Volunteering can be a powerful way to gain new skills, build a positive reputation, and network with potential employers.
- Importance of volunteering: Volunteering can fill gaps in your resume, show you’re committed to positive change, and provide an opportunity to demonstrate your skills and work ethic.
- How volunteering can help rebuild a career: By offering your time and skills to non-profits or community organizations, you can gain references and job experience and even open doors to permanent employment opportunities.
Seek Legal Help
If you are facing criminal charges or have received a drug conviction, it is strongly encouraged that you seek help from an experienced criminal defense attorney.
The court system and prosecutors do not treat those charged with drug crimes lightly. Their main priority is securing a conviction and ensuring you are put away for your alleged crimes. Without legal help, ensuring that your rights are at the forefront and that a drug conviction does not severely impact your life will be difficult.
An experienced lawyer can help you get your life back on track by initially defending your case, making appeals on your behalf, petitioning the judge for rehab rather than prison, getting your record sealed or expunged, and guiding you toward rehabilitation services and support groups.
Contact an Attorney From Hirsch Law Group Today!
If you have been charged or convicted of a drug offense in Illinois, you should speak with an experienced criminal defense attorney as soon as possible.
Drug convictions have the potential to impact your life severely, and the consequences can be long-lasting. Whether you are trying to avoid a conviction or need legal help and guidance to help you turn your life around, the lawyers at Hirsch Law Group are dedicated to helping in any way we can.
Our law office has significant experience helping clients defend criminal charges, and we have built up a strong attorney-client relationship due to our hard work and dedication. Our lawyers have been rated among America’s Top 100 Attorneys and have received many awards and recognitions for their dedication to clients’ cases.
Whether you need help defending your criminal charges or turning your life around, you should contact our law firm’s aggressive criminal defense attorneys.
Call us today at 815-880-1134 to schedule a free consultation.
Negative Effects of a Criminal Conviction
Many people who get charged with crimes involving illegal drugs suffer from some form of addiction or dependency, meaning their decision-making ability is seriously compromised. As such, most people do not take into account the serious circumstances of a criminal conviction and what this can mean for their future opportunities. However, being convicted of a crime in Illinois can have long-lasting consequences that last much longer than the initial arrest and sentencing.
Penalties
The first thing that people have to overcome from a conviction is the penalties. Penalties for drug crimes can include jail time, fines, probation periods, community service, court-ordered rehabilitation programs, and mandatory drug testing. The severity of the penalties you receive will depend on the seriousness of your crime. For example, possession of drug paraphernalia may result in a lower sentence than drug dealing.
Although a lot of drug convictions are a result of addiction, the criminal system chooses to punish people for their mistakes rather than allowing them to recover from their addiction and turn their life around. Criminal penalties can often cause people with drug addiction problems to continue using drugs and thus commit further crimes. In order to break this cycle of crime, it is important that you try to avoid harsh sentencing and take steps to get the help you need, such as speaking with a lawyer to try and get your case dismissed or going to an addiction treatment center.
Criminal Record
Once you have received a drug conviction in Illinois, you will have a permanent criminal record. With a criminal record, you will face further difficulties that can make it much more difficult to turn your life around. Firstly, your criminal history will come up when a prospective employer conducts a background check for a potential job. In many cases, employers are reluctant to hire those with a previous drug conviction on their record.
Your criminal record will also be available to any person or body that conducts a background check, such as an educational or financial institution. As such, you may find it difficult to get accepted to a school or get a loan from a bank. Secondly, your criminal records may affect your ability to get custody of your children and may look bad for any future arrest or legal issue.
Lastly, you may have certain rights revoked such as your right to vote, your right to bear a firearm, and your right to operate a vehicle within the state. With a revoked driver’s license, it can be extra difficult to carry out day-to-day tasks such as going to your job or bringing your children to school.
How To Turn Life Around After a Drug Conviction
Although receiving a drug conviction may seem like the end of the road, it is important that you do not lose hope and stay focused on getting your life back on track, as there are many routes available that can make this much easier. It is important to remember that although the criminal system is built against you, there are many resources and people that care about your well-being and want to ensure that you can get your life back on track.
Expunge Your Criminal Records
Depending on your situation and the drug conviction you received, it may be possible to expunge or seal your records. With a sealed record, you will be able to apply for jobs much easier and you will not have to disclose your criminal records to any person that requests them. As such, you may be able to find employment, access housing, go to college, and get your life back on track much easier.
The legal process of expunging or sealing a record can be quite complex and can require a lot of time, knowledge, and effort. As such, it is important that you contact an experienced criminal defense attorney that can help you through this process.
Attend a Rehabilitation Center
As noted above, many drug convictions result from addiction or substance abuse problems. The best way to get your life back on track after a conviction is to begin the process of rehabilitation and try to get sober. In Illinois, there are many rehabilitation centers that offer a wide range of options to those struggling with addiction. This could include an in-house rehabilitation center, daily out-of-house programs, or support groups.
It may be possible to avoid criminal penalties and get court-ordered rehab instead of prison time or probation. This way, you may be able to avoid a permanent criminal record and you will have the opportunity to start a new chapter of your life free from addiction.
Seek Legal Help
If you are facing criminal charges or have received a drug conviction, it is strongly encouraged that you seek help from an experienced criminal defense attorney. The court system and prosecutors do not treat those who have been charged with drug crimes lightly. Their main priority is securing a conviction and ensuring that you are put away for the alleged crimes you have committed. Without legal help, it will be difficult to ensure that your rights are at the forefront and that your life is not severely impacted by a drug conviction.
An experienced lawyer can help you get your life back on track by initially defending your case, making appeals on your behalf, petitioning the judge for rehab rather than prison, getting your record sealed or expunged, and guiding you toward rehabilitation services and support groups.
Contact an Attorney From Hirsch Law Group Today!
If you have been charged or convicted of a drug offense in Illinois, you should speak with an experienced criminal defense attorney as soon as possible. Drug convictions have the potential to severely impact your life, and the consequences can be long-lasting. Whether you are trying to avoid a conviction or need legal help and guidance to help you turn your life around, the lawyers at Hirsch Law Group are dedicated to helping in any way that we can.
Our law office has significant experience helping clients defend criminal charges and we have built up a strong attorney-client relationship due to our hard work and dedication. Our lawyers have been rated among America’s Top 100 Attorneys and have received many awards and recognitions for their dedication to clients’ cases.
Whether you need help defending your criminal charges or turning your life around, you should contact the aggressive criminal defense attorneys from our law firm.
Call us today at 815-880-1134 to schedule a free consultation.
