By 
Did you know that Arrest Records are public records? It is true. In the past, these were shared through various print publications and were limited to the communities in which the offenders live, work and were arrested. However, thanks to the expansion of the internet, arrest records for all types of offenses can now be seen all over the country. This means that if you are arrested for OWI in Florida, people in California are able to see the records including the arrest, the charge and the outcome.
Why is this a big deal?
In general, it isn’t. For most people, the odds of someone they know in another state seeing their arrest records is fairly slim. However, for those who own and operate small businesses, this can be a huge problem.
Why?
The answer is simple. Small business owners rely on online advertising to bring new customers to the door. Not only do customers look for new companies with which to do business, they also do the research that they need to do in order to ensure that the company they want to do business with is on the up and up. And this is even more important when customers want to do business with companies located in states other than the state of their own residence.
Think about this for a minute. Imagine you want to purchase a retirement home in another state. The first thing you would do is find a local real estate agent or broker than you can hire to help you find the perfect property for your needs. The way to do this today is to use an internet search. What happens when that professional has an arrest record and conviction for OWI? In most cases, potential customers will skip over this professional in favor of someone who doesn’t have a record because, to them, having a record means that the company is less credible.
No one is perfect. And everyone is entitled to make mistakes. Mistakes are an inevitable part of life. However, certain mistakes are bound to carry more weight than others. And arrest records are just that type of mistake. This is especially true for small business owners who are looking to build their businesses. Arrest records are the type of credibility buster that many small businesses can’t overcome and is often a deal breaker for customers. This is especially true when the arrest is for something as egregious as driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol. And is doubly concerning when there is more than one arrest and conviction for the same behavior.
As a small business owner, it is imperative to realize the impact that personal behavior has on the reputation of their companies and decide whether or not taking the chance on being arrested is worth the cost to the viability of those companies. In most cases, it isn’t.
Don’t let your Arrest Records get in the way of your ability to conduct business. Visit today to learn more.
Marchelle Lamaster
Comments