3 ADDITIONAL CONSEQUENCES OF A PLEA DEAL OR CONVICTION

Defending against criminal charges is not always easy. Sometimes, it can seem as if things are so rigged against you that it is not even worth trying to plead your innocence.

Occasionally this may be true, but often there are opportunities you may have overlooked which could see you escape without charge or with a much lesser charge.

THE FINANCIAL COST

Perhaps the penalty of a particular offense is $1,000. Yet that may not be the end of it. If the crime is alcohol or drug-related, you may need to pay for education classes. If it is a driving offense, you may lose your license, which restricts your work opportunities, both geographically and in terms of which fields you can work in.

Some employers will discard your application if they discover you have a criminal record, limiting your options further. Employers that accept you may restrict you to positions with little responsibility and therefore little financial compensation.

THE MENTAL COST

How would you cope with time behind bars, deprived of everyday freedoms? Some people emerge scarred for life.

THE SOCIAL COST

Have you noticed how some people started to treat you differently when they heard you were accused of a crime? If a court were to convict you, some people will likely change their attitude to you or stop inviting you to things. You may also become more paranoid that everyone is doing it, even when they are not, causing you to lose relationships.

Getting legal assistance will be crucial to understand the available defense options and the likely consequences of a court conviction or plea deal. Your future is at stake, so be sure you have all the information before deciding.