Being charged with a felony is a life-changing event. Not only are you likely to face criminal penalties such as prison time and large fines, but you may face challenges after you’ve served your time and paid your dues, too. Indeed, one way in which a felony can impact you is by adversely affecting your housing opportunities. If you’ve been convicted of a felony, you may learn that finding housing is a difficult task. If you’re facing felony charges, taking action early on by calling an experienced criminal defense attorney is strongly recommended.
Understanding Felony Convictions: The Basics
Felonies are serious crimes. Indeed, felonies are the most serious types of crimes that can be committed, and carry much more severe consequences than misdemeanor offenses. Because penalties are much more serious, it is even more important that the rules of criminal procedures are strictly adhered to and that a defendant’s criminal rights are protected throughout the criminal process.
The Penalties of a Felony Conviction
In Massachusetts, a felony is a crime that is punishable by death or imprisonment in the state prison. All other crimes are misdemeanors in the state. In addition to a prison sentence, large fines are likely. A felony conviction will also remain on your permanent criminal record and can impact your ability to get a job, secure housing, pursue education, and engage in some other activities.
Felonies and Housing: How You May Be Affected
If you are arrested and convicted of a felony, you may find that your ability to secure housing is impacted. While the Fair Housing Act does make it illegal to discriminate based on a number of factors, criminal history is not one of them. As such, you are not protected from discrimination based on your status as a convicted felon.
Not only may you face discrimination from a landlord, but you may also find it more difficult to secure certain types of housing assistance. For example, those with certain criminal convictions may not be able to participate in certain programs, such as Section 8 housing vouchers.
Finally, if you have been convicted of a certain type of crime, such as a sex crime, you may be prohibited from living within a certain distance of a school. This, too, can impact your ability to secure housing.
Call The Law Office of Paul R. Moraski Today
After a felony arrest, the best thing you can do is work with a skilled attorney. While an attorney cannot change the past of the fact that you’ve been arrested, they can work with you to shape the future and the outcome of your case. At The Law Office of Paul R. Moraski, our skilled Massachusetts criminal defense attorney represents defendants facing felony charges. Request a consultation by sending us a message online or by calling (978) 397-0011.