The Economics of Life with Criminal Record
“I don’t have the time.”
“I can’t afford it right now.”
Two of the biggest objections people have to getting an expungement are that it costs some of their time and money.
In reality, you can’t afford NOT to get an expungement.
One of the greatest benefits of an expungement is that it opens up more and better employment opportunities that you can’t afford to pass up. In this article, we’ll look at the impact of an expungement versus the cost of carrying on without one.
Life with a Criminal Conviction
Meet John Slate. John went to a party when he was 22 and ended up getting charged and convicted of a DUI.
Years later, we find John working at XYZ Warehouses as a material handler. His typical workday is spent loading and unloading trucks and moving material across the warehouses using a lift truck. John works 12 hour shifts. Sometimes he works days, other times he works nights. He’s scheduled to work every other weekend.
It’s a hard job, but John has a family to support and knows he is lucky to have it. When he applied, they didn’t conduct a background check and only required a high school diploma. He's grateful to have a job, but he wants to see if there are better opportunities for him.
John earns a little more than minimum wage, bringing in $19,300 a year. It’s barely enough to support his family, and they’re struggling to make ends meet.
Scenario #1
John decides he has too much on his plate right now and that he just can’t afford to invest in an expungement.
He goes on the hunt for a better paying job. Most of the jobs that he’s interested in pay between $20,000 and $45,000, but they require background checks. The job market is really competitive right now, and he just can’t outshine the other candidates with a clean record.
The jobs he finds that don’t do background checks only offer a minimum wage salary. At most, he’d earn around $15,000 at one of those jobs, which is even less than he’s making now.
Since his other prospects look bleak, John decides to stick it out in his current job. He arrives on time and does everything he can to help out in hopes of a promotion. Toward the end of the year, his boss rewards his dedication with a raise — John's salary is bumped to $21,300 a year.
John ends the year making $2,000 more a year.
Scenario #2
John makes up his mind to change his life. He and his wife decide to make some sacrifices, cutting corners where they can to save some money for an expungement.
John pays a total of $1,950, which includes his attorney’s fees, $164.14 for the filing fee, and $150 for the OSBI expungement processing fee. (Total may vary based on Oklahoma county filing fee and case complexity.)
In no time at all, with a clear record, John goes on his job hunt and finds a Warehouse Supervisor position at another company. His years of experience working at XYZ Warehouse and a pleasant interview (where he had no legal obligation to disclose his former DUI) got him a new position with a starting salary of $30,300.
John's investment of $1950 for a clear record paid off. At his new job, he's making $11,000 more a year, with possibilities for promotions and more money down the road. If he ever decides to leave his new company to pursue another opportunity, he can do so knowing that his criminal record is clear and will never hold him back again.
Can You Afford NOT to Get an Expungement?
An expungement may cost a little money up front, but for most people, the employment opportunities they gain pay off the cost in no time. Then, that extra money they earn continues to add up year after year.
When you make up your mind to improve your life like John did, use our free Expungement Eligibility Tool. It’ll help us find out if you qualify for an expungement in Oklahoma and so we can get to work cleaning your slate.
