Are Public Arrest Records Damaging?
Arrest Records. They are something that those that have them wish they could keep private. However, thanks to the internet, these public records are not only public, they are widely distributed, making it difficult to hide from the mistakes that have been made in the past.
So, how does having a publicly available arrest record impact individuals in their everyday lives?
Employment
Having an arrest record is a barrier to getting or keeping a job. No matter how innocuous the offense was, simply having an arrest record leads many employers to believe that candidates aren’t trustworthy or upstanding citizens. Certain job titles require that the employee maintain a certain level of personal behavior standard and getting arrested for something can jeopardize that for them, potentially costing them their jobs. And, furthermore, having arrest records for certain infractions can prevent someone from getting a job or costing them a job.
For example, having an arrest record for forging checks or check fraud will prevent someone from being able to work in the financial sector. This includes working in a bank as well as working in a financial position within a company that isn’t in the financial sector. Being arrested for OWI can prevent someone who drives for a living from getting or keeping that job, even if the charges are subsequently dismissed or the offender is found not guilty.
Community
Just as with employment, there are a number of things that having an arrest record can impact in someone’s personal life. For example, people within the community may not want someone with an arrest record working in a volunteer position or attending a church that they are active in. It can also prevent the person from being able to sell their home or own a successful business within the community.
Family
Because of the impacts that having an arrest record can have on someone’s life, their family relationships can suffer. Arrests for many crimes, even those that are misdemeanors, tend to carry a large financial cost. This can put the family in a stressful financial situation. This is especially true if the individual loses his or her job or loses business due to the arrest. In addition, the children may experience ostracism if peers and/or authority figures reject them due to the mistakes their parent has made.
As you can see, the impacts of having an arrest record are significant. Someone who is arrested for something such as an OWI very well may find that the arrest and penalties are just the beginning of the issues that they should expect to experience as a result of the crime. If you are interested in learning more about the ramifications of public arrest records, you can get the Latest News here.
