Consequences of Criminal Conviction in the United States: An Inventory

The American Bar Association (ABA), in association with the National Institute of Justice (NIJ), has made it easier to research the consequences of a criminal conviction in the United States with the release of its database, the National Inventory of the Collateral Consequences of Conviction. ABA has ventured to make information on collateral consequences, or "penalties, disabilities, or disadvantages imposed upon a person as a result of a criminal conviction," more accessible and intelligible to the American public, as these consequences can seriously affect convicted persons' future employment and business opportunities, as well as access to government benefits. In the absence of the ABA database, this type of information is, according to NIJ, "notoriously difficult to track down and understand," leaving even attorneys and judges unfamiliar with the consequences of certain crimes.

"The Inventory's search interface allows users to select one or more jurisdictions and then search by keyword, consequence category (e.g., employment, licensure, property rights, education), triggering offense category or some combination. Search results link to summaries of relevant state or federal code sections. Each summary includes a detailed description of the consequence, whether it is discretionary or mandatory, how long it lasts and whether any relief is available, and what offenses trigger it."

Legislators and policymakers can also benefit from the database; ABA asserts that "the Inventory can serve as a first-stop resource of judges, defense counsel and prosecutors, allowing them to quickly locate the significant details of relevant collateral consequences. This, in turn, will allow lawyers and their clients to consider these consequences as part of criminal proceedings. It will also allow lawyers to help clients living with the adverse effects of a criminal record long after the case is over."

The database is expected to help stakeholders across the criminal justice system to "better understand the complexity and reach of collateral consequences and make more informed decisions to enhance public safety and help offenders successfully return to society."

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