Nassau County Record Sealing
A three-year study conducted by researchers from Arizona State University revealed the disturbing adverse impact a criminal record has on employment outcomes for applicants across the spectrum of race and gender. The ASU researchers ran an experiment where the researchers organized pairs of different applicants based on criminal record. That means one applicant had a criminal record and one did not have a record. All pairs sent applications for the same jobs. Both applicants had identical skills and qualifications. The only difference was the individual’s criminal record. The researchers submitted in excess of six thousand applications for a variety of jobs, including customer service, manual labor, and restaurants.
The results of the study revealed that the applicants with a criminal record were dramatically less likely to receive a call back or be hired for the job. If that was not bad enough, African-American and Hispanic men with criminal records were even less likely to receive a response from employers compared with Caucasian men.
The study also showed that applicants with a criminal record were the least likely to be hired, and surveyed employers admitted that they associated people with criminal records with absenteeism, drug abuse, alcohol abuse, and other negative characteristics. The results were published in Criminal Stigma, Race, Gender, and Employment: An Expanded Assessment of Consequences of Imprisonment for Employment.
Although expungement is not available in New York, sealing of criminal records is.
As you can see, having a criminal record places you at a tremendous disadvantage when trying to obtain gainful employment. This is why, if you live in Nassau County or elsewhere in New York, you should take action to see if you can get your criminal record sealed.
Seal Your Criminal Record in Nassau County
A law recently passed in New York that enables certain individuals to seal their conviction records. To qualify, you can only have two convictions on your record that are sealable and only one can be a felony. In addition, at least ten years must have passed since your most recent conviction in order to qualify for sealing under this new statute. If you were convicted of specific drug offenses, you could have those convictions sealed if you completed a drug treatment program.
If you were convicted of a violent offense or a sex crime, you will not be able to get those convictions sealed.
Effect of a Seal
You might be asking yourself, “why should I get my record sealed? It’s not like it’ll expunge my record.” While it is true that a seal does not expunge your record, it can have a similar positive effect on your employment prospects. This is because when your criminal record is sealed, it is not viewable by an employer, even an employer that does a background check. Only the police and specific licensing agencies would be able to view your record after a sealing order goes into effect.
Nassau County Criminal Record Sealing Lawyer Ready to Help
If you were convicted of a crime and your record is holding you back, there are steps you can take to get your conviction record sealed and shielded from view by the public, including prospective employers. To secure this seal, you should retain the services of a Nassau County criminal record sealing lawyer. To learn more, contact Levy & Rizzo, LLC, the Clean Slate Attorneys today for further assistance.
