Can a Pardon Help Me with Employment Opportunities?
If you have been found guilty of a crime, your freedom may not be the only thing at stake. Many criminal defendants have difficulty finding employment, a decent apartment, and renewing professional licensure after their release. This can be beyond discouraging, especially when attempting to get a fresh start. However, a pardon can help restore certain civil rights and reopen doors that were once closed. While it will not expunge a criminal record, it can improve your employment opportunities, giving you a second chance.
At Ryan Beasley Law, our South Carolina criminal defense lawyers will assess your situation to determine your pardon eligibility.
What is a Pardon in South Carolina?
A pardon is an official act of forgiveness issued by the South Carolina Department of Probation, Parole, and Pardon Services (SCDPPPS). While it does not erase a conviction, it can restore civil rights. A pardon can only be issued after completion of a sentence, payment of all restitution and fees, a showing of rehabilitation, and completion of an application. Only state-level convictions qualify; federal, out-of-state, or military convictions do not. If granted, a pardon can remove employment barriers, allowing a person to pursue gainful employment.
How a Pardon Can Help Your Career
Even though a criminal conviction can put up employment barriers, a pardon can help in the following ways:
Rehabilitation
Rehabilitative services seek to find the root cause of a person’s criminal activity and to help them re-enter society. While a pardon is not an expungement (erasing the crime from your record), it does show that the state has made the determination that you have been rehabilitated. This can speak volumes to potential employers.
Background Checks
Simply having a crime pardoned will not prevent employers from seeing the offense on a background check, but the offense will be marked as pardoned by the state. Employers are more likely to hire someone with a pardoned offense (compared to an unpardoned one) because the pardon recognizes that the person has undergone rehabilitation and shown remorse for their crime.
Removes Occupational Licensing Barriers
A pardon signals rehabilitation to licensing boards, which can matter greatly when licensing boards renew licensure based on individual assessment. This may allow you to renew your licensure, opening up career opportunities that wouldn’t otherwise exist.
Applying for a Pardon in SC
The South Carolina pardon application consists of three written letters of support, providing personal information, and an application fee. The letters of support are essential to the application, as they speak to your character and show that you are unlikely to revert to criminal behavior. The process also involves submitting a non-refundable $100 application fee.
Following your application, you may need to appear before the SCDPPPS to make a formal request. Generally, it may be anywhere from seven to nine months after you submit your application to be scheduled for a hearing. The SCDPPPS is a seven-member board that will hear your case before rendering a final decision. A pardon is only granted if two-thirds (5 out of 7 members) of the board approve it. If denied, you will have to wait one year before reapplying.
Contact Our South Carolina Criminal Defense Attorneys Today
If you are considering applying for a pardon, having experienced counsel along the way can make a big difference. At Ryan Beasley Law, our South Carolina criminal defense attorneys will guide you throughout the process to ensure that the information you submit is accurate and complete. To discuss your eligibility, do not hesitate to contact our office online or by phone at (864) 756-4204 at your earliest opportunity.