I'm not quite sure what you mean. I could write a book on the ways a criminal conviction "could affect a person's record," so a more specific question would get a more specific answer.
Depending on the offense, a conviction can prohibit you from possessing a firearm (either for ten years or life), result in a drivers license suspension, require you to register as a sex or drug offender, and many other things.
There are three types of offenses in California: Felonies, which are punishable by state prison or death; misdemeanors, which have the potential for a county jail sentence, and infractions, which can be punished by a fine only.
To make is more confusing, some offenses are "wobblers," which means they can be charged as either a felony or a misdemeanor, and "wobblettes," which can be a misdemeanor or infraction.
If you have been convicted of a crime, the easiest way to determine if it was a misdemeanor or a felony would be to check with the attorney who represented you. If you didn't have an attorney, you can check with the clerk of the court where the offense was heard.
