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What are the Consequences of a Felony Conviction in PA?
|Last Updated on: 10th October 2023, 07:19 pm
What are the Consequences of a Felony Conviction in PA?
Getting convicted of a felony in Pennsylvania can really mess up your life. I’m talking long-term problems that will follow you around forever. But don’t worry – I’m here to break it all down so you know what you’re in for. This stuff is complicated, but I’ll try to explain it in simple terms.
First off, felonies are the most serious type of crime in PA. Murder, rape, robbery – felonies. Misdemeanors are smaller crimes like shoplifting or simple assault. Most people charged with felonies end up taking plea deals to avoid huge sentences. But those plea deals still count as felony convictions, and they come with lifelong consequences.
Criminal Penalties
When you get convicted of a felony in PA, the judge hits you with fines and time behind bars. The more serious the felony, the higher the fine and longer the jail sentence. Some examples:
- 3rd Degree Felony – up to $15,000 fine and 7 years in prison
- 2nd Degree Felony – up to $25,000 fine and 10 years in prison
- 1st Degree Felony – up to $25,000 fine and 20 years in prison
That’s just for one felony charge – get convicted of a few felonies and those sentences add up quick. The judge might also make you pay restitution to victims, reimburse the state for investigation costs, that kind of thing. And don’t forget about court fees – those can run thousands of dollars.
Probation and Parole
Many felony convictions end with probation instead of jail time. But don’t think of probation as getting off easy. You have to follow strict rules and check in with your probation officer regularly. One slip-up – even just being late to a meeting – and you can end up behind bars.
Parole is when you serve part of your sentence in prison then get released. You’ll still be on parole for years and have to follow the rules. Break the rules and you go right back to prison.
Say Goodbye to Your Gun Rights
Once convicted of a felony in PA, you lose your right to own a gun – for life. Doesn’t matter if it was a non-violent white collar crime. No more hunting rifles, handguns, nothing. The only way to possibly get your gun rights back is through a governor’s pardon.
Kiss Your Voting Rights Goodbye
It’s not just your gun rights you lose – in PA you also lose your right to vote while incarcerated and on parole. And you can’t serve on juries either. Once your parole is up you can re-register to vote, but good luck getting picked for jury duty.
Employment Problems
Having a felony conviction makes it really hard to get a job. Most employers do background checks these days, and when they see a felony conviction they toss your application in the trash.
Certain jobs are completely off limits too, like working in healthcare, education, childcare, law, finance, and any job requiring a professional license. Say bye-bye to your career dreams.
No More Student Loans for You
College is pretty much impossible if you have a felony conviction. You’ll be cut off from all federal student aid, including grants, loans and work-study programs. Many scholarship programs won’t touch you either. Your only option is to pay the tuition bills entirely out of pocket.
Housing Hassles
Finding a place to live with a felony conviction can be a huge pain. Most landlords run background checks these days, and many just flat out refuse to rent to felons. Public housing is usually off limits too. Oh, and if your felony was sex-related, you’ll have even more restrictions on where you can live.
Forget About Government Benefits
Don’t expect food stamps or cash assistance if you have a felony conviction in PA. You’ll be banned from receiving most government benefits, with exceptions for certain healthcare and disability programs.
Lose Custody of Your Kids
Having a felony conviction can hurt you big time in family court. Judges don’t like giving custody or visitation rights to felons, especially if the conviction was for a violent crime. And if Child Protective Services gets involved, your parental rights could be terminated entirely.
No Adopting or Fostering
Forget about adopting or fostering kids if you have a felony conviction. Pennsylvania law bans felons from adopting for at least 5 years after completion of their sentence. Many foster agencies have total bans on placing kids with felons.
Travel Restrictions
Once convicted of a felony, you might have a hard time traveling internationally. Some countries like Canada and Mexico may not let you cross the border. And getting a passport can be difficult too, unless you get a pardon.
And Much More…
The consequences of a felony conviction just go on and on. Your car insurance rates will skyrocket. Many professional licenses will be revoked. You’ll be ineligible for jury duty and military service. Forget about small business loans, gun permits, government jobs – the list is endless.
About the only thing that helps restore your rights is getting your record expunged or sealed through a pardon or petition. But pardons are hard to come by, and record expungement doesn’t clear everything. Bottom line – felony convictions follow you for life and seriously screw things up.
So if you’re facing felony charges, do whatever it takes to avoid a conviction. Hire a great lawyer, take a plea deal if you can, try to get the charges reduced – just don’t end up with a felony on your record. Your life will never be the same.
Well, hope this helps explain what happens when you get convicted of a felony in PA. Stay out of trouble, and good luck!