Hiring Felons What is so wrong with it?

[Zeyomie 0]

This really irks me, I have several friends, and even some family members who are felons. They've made their mistakes and have paid their debt to society. But they are not able to get respectable employment, It seems these days the only places that will hire felons are fast food joints. Most of them that I know have resorted to running their own businesses because people refuse to hire them because of their background. At least those who don't work at McDonalds or Waterburger. Employers are not supposed to discriminate against felons, just like anyone else. But I guarantee you, you have a felon apply for a job, and someone who is less qualified apply for the same job. That less qualified person will be hired well before the felon is even considered. I know too many people who are GOOD PEOPLE that are discriminated against because of their background. Even when it comes to those who own their own businesses. Should someones background really be taken that much into consideration when choosing them to do your work? Say you want a landscaper to design your yard. His price is reasonable, and he's more then qualified with many years experience, has references, and is known for being honest and doing quality work. Would you hire him if say he was a past sex offender or thief? He's obviously trying to make a life for himself by doing honest hard work, and has learned from his mistakes, or could even have been wrongly accused and still did the time for it, you really wouldn't know. Would you hire him over someone who was less experienced, with higher prices, and fewer references, but had a clean record?

[lonebyrd 0]

I agree. There shouldn't be any discrimination against felons. As you said they paid their debt. If they are trying to make a living doing their own business, they obviously are trying. I have some friends who are felons and it is almost impossible for them to find work like you said. None of them have money to start their own business so they depend on state assistance. How does that help them or society as a whole?

[Xalor 0]

You're taking the opposing viewpoint, which I am not going to shoot down. I half-agree with you but the way you put it is an extremist attitude. A felon who does a major level crime, such as rape, murder, or high-end burglary, should be discriminated. There is a reason why they have past indictments on the application. Its a level eligibility. If you owned a company would you hire someone if they raped another person, less than a year ago, and got out of jail on bail or did their time? You have think about the employer, also if you were purchasing that service, and you have to think about it if it wasn't your family, would you trust them? Their trust had already been compromised, and they failed to stop their actions. Think more in a family oriented view, but I do agree on some points. If you get arrested and convicted for any crime and you apply to law school or a firm, you're unable to. At a level, felons should have some more level of power, but then who's going to fight for them, or any bet, who would accept such an amendment?

[networker 0]

Yes it's true, there should be no discrimination.The thing, is it depends what they've been arrested forand what job they are looking for.Would you really want a bank manager as bank presidentwho has been arrested for fraud?The person in question,might make a good electricianor plumber or something,but fraud and money don't gotogether.People go to extreme lengths to embezzle,and doctor documents andmislead and such. They should be aware of the consequenseswhen they do these things.

[lonebyrd 0]

Ok there were some valid points made. It does depend on the job and the crime. But I have a question to pose to people. How long is long enough after someone has been released? Right out of prison I know around where I live there are places to help felons become employed. But i do believe there has to be some sort of trust in hiring a felon. What was their crime? How did they do in prison (like fights, following rules)? Do they have good non-felon references? There are alot of factors that would go into it looking from an employers point of view. How much do they really get to know about the persons background is my question

[galexcd 0]

I'm actually going to completely disagree with you here. Although you bring up the fact that there should be no discrimination when hiring and I certainly agree with that, however for felons thats just how life is. For certain felons it may even be a liability issue.Nobody has a second chance to make a first impression. If that first impression is a bad one then that individual will most likely be judged for the rest of his life. I'm not saying that it is fair, I'm just saying that it is a part of life. As human beings there is no way for one of us to look into another person's mind and see what they are thinking; therefore we judge them based on what they have done in the past. A person could just have made some very poor choices as an adolescent and have been convicted for it. However, how does an employer distinguish these people from truly rotten people who may steal or destroy company property? The answer is the employer can not. It seems more logical for the employer to hire someone with a clean record because that person has proven his ability to function with the rest of society.So basically the point I'm trying to bring across here is that in a perfect world, yes: felons would have the same likelihood of employment as the rest of us, but you cannot honestly expect the employer to do this in reality. Place yourself in the shoes of the employer, do you care if this man or woman has paid his or her debt to society and spent x amount of years in jail? No, you are much more concerned with with the safety and prosperity of your business.

[chakri 0]

This is a very tricky subject.Several jobs require high level of integrity and it is commonly assumed that a person who has not been responsible with his or her own life (by commiting a crime). So this assumption may cost them their job.I do feel that they should get a second chance because if they end up frustated without opportunities then they may revert back to crime as a last resort.

[Echo_of_thunder 1]

well I can honestly see both sides to this. On one hand you have a person who has done there time for a crime. then you have a person who is looking to hire. If the crime was small such as a mistermenor Yea hire them. but if it was something such as murder. I dont think so. it's sad that so many employers look someone with a clean record, when you have so many out there that are able and more than willing to do the work. Can't lie I did somethings in my younger days that cost me a job or two. But think about it like this. would you hire someone that was convicted of bank robbery to work in a bank? I don't think so. But would you hire that same person run your store if he or she had a background in that field? yes. I think so many look and see a record yet they do not look at what that may be. Stereo typing is the word here. They think anyone that has done any kind of a crime big or small is bad. They do not look or think are they now straight. all they see is someone that has done time.

[galexcd 0]

I do feel that they should get a second chance because if they end up frustated without opportunities then they may revert back to crime as a last resort.

Your reply suggests that you think that employers don't hire certain people because their morals want them to suffer, or so it seems. In reality it has nothing to do with this. I'm sure except in very unusual cases the employer is not emotionally involved in teaching those who committed a crime a lesson. They just want to protect their business. Your argument is like saying "the poor should be given money", or "all those with fatal organ failure should be given an organ transplant". Of course they should! But who do you suggest we make suffer to make this happen? Who's hard earned money should we take away to give to the poor? Who's loved one should we cut open and steal an organ from to give to a dying patient? Who's place of business shall we jeopardize by placing a convicted felon as an employee?

The answer is none. It is a sad answer, but it is the only one we have. It certainly isn't fair but it is the only thing we can do.

[lonebyrd 0]

But there must be a way for them to regain a place in society. In the US if they aren't working they can get state assistance. That isn't helping them or us as a general population. There must be some places that will hire someone who has been convicted of a crime, but it all depends on circumstances. No I wouldn't hire a robber to work in a bank, and thinking about it I can understand why people conviceted of robbery cant get a job. Who is to say they won't steal from your company. But maybe working as a landscaper with a company, working with only the outdoors and fellow coworkers, that could work. You can't make a blanket statement about everyone who has been convicted. Everyone has different circumstances. A young adult gets convicted of a crime lets say. They were young and not mature. Maybe prison could have drastically changed that persons life. The crime isn't the only thing that should come into factor. It is the individual.

[networker 0]

Theres a wisdom gained from everything.Apparantly in the old west the best Sheriffswere ex-cons.They knew the ways of the oulaws.I have a few ex-felon friends who don't appear to have thechip on they're should attitude,as in "I hate cops, " etc.They just think that police are somebody just doingthey're jobs.They are very objective. The little dweeb will have the "I hate cops" attitude onlybecause he's seen too much t.v.I say give ex-felons a chance,but only if they're truly changing fields.

[cangor 0]

Yeah, I think people who have committed crimes should be given a chance, but the things is, they already had their chance once and they blew it... you don't always get a second chance in life. And to be perfectly honest, I think a lot of people don't really change... if someone has done bad stuff in the past there's a good chance they'll do it again in the future. However, the flip side to this is that once someone is out of prison for a bad crime it's difficult for them to make a decent living and have a good life... so if you think about it this just perpetuates the problem because, if you believe as I do that most people don't really change, even if they want to live an honest life, it'd just be easier for them to go back to a life of crime, and they're already accustomed to that life, so instead of getting a job they'll just steal from others, and fall back into the same cycle.So... I dunno how I feel about the whole thing. I mean, I guess discrimination against felons is okay in hiring, because first of all it's the employer's right to know, and if someone has something on their record but they're trying to start anew, it'll come through in their interview and resume... if you want to explain something that happened on your past that's on your permanent record just attach a brief letter about how you regret what you've done and you're trying to move on... people will respect you a lot for that, and that honest will make you a much more desirable candidate. It's all about spin.

[Zeyomie 0]

I can understand from those point of views, honestly. But my problem is, say you have a bank robber who wants to work as a consultant. Who better to give a bank suggestions for their security then someone who breaks into banks? Now it may not always be a good idea either to put someone in that situation because they have the possibility go of going back to their old ways, but if someone truly wanted to do that, and they had the talent for it, and the character that says I've changed my ways, why should they not be given the chance? And what of those wrongly accused? I know someone, a friend who was accused of making inappropriate suggestions to a minor, I was even told what really happened, and how his word meant nothing in his defense. He was sent to jail for almost 5 years for doing NOTHING. And he now has his life threatened, his family's lives threatened because he's registered as a child sex offender. He didn't do anything to deserve it but all it took was someone saying he did it. And now his life is ruined, he struggles from day to day because any respectable business wont hire him. He runs his own business, but has lost clients because of his record. He's honest, and hard working but struggles to make ends meet. How many others are forced to suffer the same fate? Those who have done nothing, but could not prove their innocence. There are any number of felons who have committed crimes and paid the price, and would do it again in an instant. There are those who have learned and would never do it again, but they have no way to truly prove themselves except by accepting whatever menial job they can get and working hard knowing they will never get ahead. And there are those who are innocent of any number of crimes, and paid a debt they didn't owe. How can society treat these people the same as they treat the worthless lowlifes who have no respect for themselves. I know it can be difficult to distinguish between these people, but a first impression of someone should be made when you meet that person first, not when you read something about their past. Give someone a chance to state their case, and explain before you judge their character and write them off.

[sheepdog 10]

I suppose it would depend on the felony itself. Let's see. I have no money to embezzel, so if it was for embezzelment, I wouldn't mind that.Murder? Ok, there's been a few people I would like to get my hands around their throats and choke until their eyeballs popped out, so I could overlook that felony.Grand theft auto? My car has almost 300,000 miles on it, who the heck would want to steal it?Rape? Naw, not a concern either. I'm old, fat and not so easy on the eyes, and meaner than a snake myself, no wories there. Now if it was animal abuse, that sucker would be out of here in a heart beat.

[iGuest 3]

Newbie here...  Respective employers want a guarantee to ensure their business won't suffer at the hands of a person proven in the past to be untrustworthy.  Whether society likes it or not, it is a real issue that must be handled.  Do you know how much money it costs to keep a person in jail with a bed, three meals a day, work and entertainment?  Almost as much as a person makes in a year.  That's crazy retarded!  When I was a new salesperson in a territory, my first course of action was introduction.  Whether I did it by letter or meeting, that person saw my face or heard my voice and had a look at my credentials.  Not just my resume, but my sales history, what companies I sold for and how much my deals were.  It is a calling card to let the company know you are serious about helping them, and you can handle the type of money they want to transact.

Felons need to do the same thing.  Gather references from the prison warden, and guards about behavior.  Gather outside references for character before they got in trouble.  A good functional or skills resume, not chronological so gaps won't be called into attention.  Be very honest, dress well, as well as being well groomed, and go in with a smile, expecting to be hired and not treated like an ingrate.  It is all in the attitude.  Employers in turn need to do their homework.  Make sure the references given can be backed up with a phone call or a letter.  Anything they say must be recorded and researched to make sure that person is telling the truth.  If all is truth, and you know what they did doesn't interfere with your everyday business, by all means hire them.  It restores faith and hope in a system they deem unfair.  That's all any of them need.

-reply by Newbie