Legal Definitions - felon

A felon is someone who has committed a serious crime called a felony. If a person is convicted of a felony, they may face harsher punishments for future crimes. For example, in some states, if a felon is convicted of a third felony, they may be sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole.

Being a felon can also mean that a person has to follow certain laws that others do not. For instance, in Illinois, it is against the law for a felon to have a gun.

Because felons are at a higher risk of committing more crimes, some states have laws to help prevent this from happening. For example, in California, employers cannot be told about a felony that happened more than seven years ago when they do a background check on a job applicant.

Example: John was convicted of a felony for stealing a car. Even after he served his time in prison, he was not allowed to own a gun because of his status as a felon. If John were to commit another felony, he could face a much harsher punishment than someone who had never been convicted of a felony before.