What Are the Consequences of Violent Crime Convictions?

There are a number of ways that a violent crime conviction can have a negative impact on your physical health. The most obvious of these comes if you are incarcerated as a result of your conviction, however health issues after conviction are not exclusive to those who are incarcerated.

Stress is not just in your mind: it is a physical reaction to the situation. You are also unlikely to be able to do the things that you would usually do to relieve your stress, like taking a walk in a park or going to see friends to hang out. Chronic stress—stress that goes on and on for a long time—can lead to high blood pressure, a weakened immune system, and increased risk of heart disease.

In addition, the level of healthcare you can expect to receive is not good. However hard prison doctors try to take care of their patients, prison healthcare is often underfunded and inadequate, leading to untreated chronic conditions and very limited mental health services. You may have to wait a long time for non-emergency medical attention, leading to worsened conditions.

Even if you are convicted but not incarcerated, you can suffer adverse health consequences. Many people find that a conviction weighs on them and that they are less inclined to take good care of themselves. Similarly, the stress of the conviction poses the same dangers as the stress of incarceration, albeit less severely.

Additionally, though insurers are not supposed to be allowed to charge you more for health insurance after a conviction, they can use your arrest record to class you as a person with a “high risk” lifestyle, either putting your premiums up or making it more difficult to obtain insurance in the first place. This can make it more difficult to access healthcare.

We never employ a one-size-fits-all approach with our clients. The best defense for you depends on the circumstances of your case. When we have had our initial consultation with you and know the facts of your case, we will begin working on our strategy.

It may be that though you were involved in an altercation such as an assault, but that you acted in self-defense or to protect others, in which case we can argue that your actions were justified. On the other hand, this may be a case of mistaken identity, in which case we will work to prove that while someone committed this crime, it was not you.

The prosecution must prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt. If the evidence is insufficient, we can challenge the case against you. Additionally, if your rights were violated during the arrest or investigation, we can seek to have evidence excluded or the charges dismissed outright.

With the potential consequences of a conviction, it’s not hard to see why it is exceptionally important to try to avoid a conviction if at all possible. Though it is obvious that you will need good legal representation, it is just as important that the attorney you retain is someone with experience in defending against these kinds of charges specifically, rather than just a general criminal lawyer.