As we always attempt to reassure our clients, having been arrested is not “the end” for you. For many, getting arrested is simply a mishap. It will go on your record but it will not always haunt you for the rest of your life. People with a criminal past are very much capable of being granted a loan, getting a job, and getting an apartment or home.

For example, recently it was announced that the popular ridesharing service Uber has eased their screening process on their drivers who have a criminal record. According to Uber, this move of theirs is to closer align themselves with the state’s Prop 47. Prop 47, which was passed in 2014, redefines some non-violent felonies as misdemeanors (such as petty theft and forgery), giving offenders a “second chance...