If you have a criminal conviction on your record, you might think that you just have to live with this and the difficulty that it might bring to your life. However, this is not the case! In Connecticut, you could apply for a pardon and have your criminal record erased. This can impact your life in several positive ways. I outline some of the pros of receiving a pardon on this page.
Benefits of a Pardon
- You can apply for jobs and colleges without having to say that you have been convicted and explaining why. While ban the box was implemented in Connecticut a few years ago, having a pardon is the only way to fully ensure that you won’t have to disclose your criminal history in a job interview.
- You are more likely to find housing, get approved for a mortgage, and rent a house. You also do not have to fear being evicted by a landlord because of your record.
- You can travel out of the country more easily and do not have to worry about being denied.
- You can apply for a gun permit and not be denied due to having a criminal record.
- You can apply to be an adoption parent and will not face custody issues due to a criminal record. If you are trying to get custody of your child, your previous crimes cannot be used against you in court.
- You can now apply to work with children, money, government, the medical field, or police without being denied because of your record
- You can apply to get business bonds and will not be denied because of your record to start your own company.
- It is easier to obtain professional licenses for things like nursing, law, and commercial driving. When you have a felony conviction, you will be denied from working in medical care, law, handling money, commercial driving, and sometimes even retail jobs.
- You can vote, serve on a jury, and volunteer with organizations in your community without a felony conviction on your record. You can feel the sense of community and togetherness with those around you when you can participate in these activities again.
- You can receive federal assistance and food stamps for you and your family instead of being denied assistance because of your record.
- Your convictions are no longer public information that anyone can have access to and you will no longer have to deal with the stigma of having a criminal record.
We Can Help
Have you been convinced that a pardon can help your situation? Do you want to apply for a pardon? Contact our office for further help. We are happy to assist you with this process and support you through it. We can help you fill out the application and make sure there is no information missing. We can also help you prepare for a virtual hearing with the Board of Pardons, if you are chosen for one. We have attended hundreds of these hearings, and we can prepare you for what to expect from this type of hearing.