Minor arrest record could hinder future employment
A U.S. Department of Justice report released in June of 2012 showed that students who have criminal records, even for minor criminal charges, face obstacles in obtaining employment, even when they are otherwise qualified for the position to which they are applying.
Having a criminal record “will keep many people from obtaining employment, even if they have paid their dues, are qualified for the job and are unlikely to re-offend,” according to Amy L. Solomon, a senior adviser to the assistant attorney general in the Office of Justice Programs, and author of the report. Ms. Solomon states in her article published on the National Institute of Justice’s website that “the majority of employers indicate that they would ‘probably’ or ‘definitely’ not be willing to hire an applicant with a criminal record,” and some large corporations have “no-hire” policies for those with criminal records.
Common misdemeanor charges that young persons often face in New York include Petit Larceny (Penal Law § 155.25) for stealing items, Criminal Possession of a Controlled Substance in the 7th Degree (Penal Law § 220.03) for possessing small amounts of cocaine, Criminal Possession of Marijuana in the Fifth Degree (Penal Law § 221.10) for smoking marijuana in public, or Driving While Intoxicated (Vehicle and Traffic Law § 1192) for driving while under the influence of drugs and/or alcohol.
The attorneys of Pappalardo & Pappalardo are extremely successful criminal defense attorneys who can help you with your criminal matters. In misdemeanor cases, we can help you fight the criminal charges you face and resolve the matter with a dismissal of the criminal charges and a court-ordered sealing of your record, so that you don’t enter an already tough job market with a criminal record.
Click here to read a recently published article on this topic from The Journal News, or here to read Ms. Solomon’s article on the National Institute of Justice’s website.