Though a person's criminal record does not define them, it can open a new window of opportunity. For instance, people with previous drug-related convictions are more likely to understand the struggles of addiction. It's extremely common for a person in recovery to turn to counselors with shared experiences to guide them through the process.
Though a person's criminal record does not define them, it can open a new window of opportunity. For instance, people with previous drug-related convictions are more likely to understand the struggles of addiction. In addition, it's widespread for a person in recovery to turn to counselors with shared experiences to guide them through the process. Criminal history or not, it's logical to encourage recovered individuals to use their experiences to help others battling through the same issue. Unfortunately, Virginia lawmakers have demonstrated severe ignorance toward the subject by killing a bill that would've allowed people with criminal records to serve their community as addiction counselors.
There are almost 200 crimes that prohibit people from becoming substance abuse counselors in Virginia, including unrelated charges like reckless driving and pointing a laser at a law enforcement officer. Although one can argue that these barriers are enforced to encourage Virginia citizens to obey the law, it completely disregards rehabilitated individuals with valuable experiences and resources. People grow and change, and if the purpose of our justice system is to encourage ex-convicts to do better for themselves and others, then Virginia lawmakers are missing the point by a longshot.
Andrew Ward, a Virginia attorney representing a man fighting for his right to pursue a career in addiction counseling, expresses his dismay in the following statement:
"The department's numbers show that just in the last few years, 1,100 people have been unable to work in substance-abuse counseling or another field the department supervises because of this law. Even though they admit it keeps out qualified applicants with invaluable experience,"
If your criminal history is taking a toll on your future, it's time to free yourself from the shackles with the help of the friendly professionals at Easy Expunctions. Visit our website at EasyExpunctions.com or call us at (866) 775-9983 to begin your simple and affordable record-clearing process. A criminal record shouldn't strip away your freedom.