How can felons protect themselves

Edit Close. Toggle navigation. Recommended for you. Latest News. Louis woman. Michael D. Contact The Firm: Welcoming Cody Into The Firm. Watch Video. An illegal possession of a firearm can come with severe penalties that can make the difficult situation of being a previously convicted felon even worse. Taking the steps necessary to ensure that you are doing everything possible to fix the situation, namely by hiring a capable Columbus criminal defense attorney , will make this process much simpler and less prone to miscalculations.

Adding to the inconvenience and problems that inevitably comes with being a convicted felon is something that everyone should focus on avoiding. If an issue does arise, such as an illegal possession of a firearm charge, it needs to be met with an aggressive defense that puts you in a favorable position at the outset.

Having legal counsel will be important in this process. Typically, they must have been out of prison from five to ten years to be eligible. Recently, a law was passed that would allow felons having lost their rights to own a firearm to be able to have that right restored. The process depends on whether their felony conviction was from the state or the federal government.

Each state sets its standards for restoring firearm rights. Another way to have firearm rights restored is by seeking a pardon. In order to obtain a federal pardon, felons must wait five years after completion of their sentence. Then they may contact the federal government regarding a pardon clemency. They should first seek legal counsel. For any of these means of receiving their firearms rights, the nature, seriousness, and length of time since their conviction will be considered.

Employment is probably the most challenging aspect of returning to society. Many felons struggle with finding a job because the stigma of having a felony record deters employers from hiring felons. There are companies that are willing to give felons a second chance. Having healthy ties to the community involves having good relationships with their families and friends as well as being involved in community and volunteer work.

Maintaining and documenting that involvement will be valuable to felons wanting to regain firearm rights as well as any other rights. Attending a re-entry program can aid their case. Changing friends and hangouts will also be important.

Protecting their home can be accomplished with other means than a firearm. There are certain weapons that felons can possess that are not considered to be firearms. These include a knife with a blade not longer than four inches, a muzzleloader , a crossbow , and a pellet gun.