If you have been convicted of a crime, you may have contemplated accepting a plea-bargain to receive a lesser sentence and to avoid a trial. You should be well-aware of the consequences you would need to pay as a result. Admitting you are guilty to the crime is commendable, but it may have dire circumstances when it comes to your future. Here are a few reasons why you may want to think twice before agreeing to a plea-bargain.
Deportation Is Likely
If you are not a citizen of the United States, and you are here on a visa, you will most likely be deported as soon as you admit guilt to a crime. This can cause you to be unable to return to the United States in the future, so if you had plans to visit or work towards citizenship, you may not be able to fulfill that wish. It is important to work closely with an immigration attorney along with a criminal defense attorney, like Kaiser Law Group, if you are convicted of a crime to find out if agreeing to a plea bargain will halt your return in the future.
Employment Choices Are Limited
After you serve your plea-bargained sentence, your employment options will be sparse. If you wish to have a legitimate job, you will have difficulty finding an employer who will take on a convicted criminal within their place of business. There is always the chance you will get through the trial with a lesser sentence or no sentence. It is risky to accept the plea-bargain if you will not be able to get along monetarily after you get out of jail.
Your Reputation Is Tarnished
If you admit your guilt, your reputation will be tarnished even if you did not commit the crime you are being accused in doing. Being given a guilty charge via a jury decision is not as damaging to your reputation as you are not agreeing you had committed the crime. In some instances, once you accept a plea-bargain for certain crimes, the police may notify the residents in your new neighborhood. Sometimes the police don't notify residents of past crimes, since some databases, like the sex offender registry, are open to the public.
As you can see, this option can be very hard on people who are innocent, as they may wonder if charges would have been less had they gone through with a jury case. You will no longer be able to serve on a jury and you will not be able to carry a firearm after accepting a plea bargain where you admit to committing a crime.
