How a Drug Crime Conviction Can Affect Your Life

Aside from incarceration, a conviction can lead to long-term consequences. If you’re experiencing problems with drugs or alcohol, you should know that treatment programs are effective and are often covered by insurance. As any criminal defense attorney would tell you, getting drug counseling is vastly preferable to being convicted of a misdemeanor or felony offense. But if you are arrested on drug charges, be sure to contact a criminal defense attorney in Denver, CO, right away.

Probation

Some drug convictions result in short jail sentences or no jail time at all—especially if you’ve hired a criminal defense attorney. Often, however, convicted offenders will have a period of probation. Probation might not seem like a big deal, but it can have major consequences. Your probation officer can visit you at home or your jobsite at random times. You can be drug tested at random times. Any violation of your probation could send you back to jail, and you’ll have to hire a criminal defense attorney again.

Employment

Most employees are at-will workers. This which means they can be fired for any reason, as long as it isn’t discriminatory. If you’re fired or already unemployed when you’re convicted of a drug offense, you can expect to have a difficult time finding a new job. Not only will your background be unappealing to hiring managers, but you may also face the loss of your professional licenses.

Housing

Most landlords conduct background checks on prospective tenants. It’s entirely possible that your current landlord will decline to renew your lease after a conviction, and it may prove challenging to find a new place to live. Furthermore, a criminal history may interfere with mortgage applications.

Education

Some universities do not ask about applicants’ criminal histories. Others don’t ask the question in the early stages, but do later on. Even if you get accepted to a school, you may find it difficult to secure student loans.

Military Service

If you’re already in the armed services, it’s possible that a conviction will lead to a dishonorable discharge. If you have aspirations to join the military, you should know that a conviction could lead to the rejection of your application.

Relationships

Beyond the practical aspects of life, like finding housing and employment, a drug conviction can harm your relationships with friends and family. The stigma of drug offenses is not something that is easily forgotten.