Do Felons Deserve a Second Chance, Obama Thinks So [Reader Post]

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Should convicted felons be given a second chance? Barack Obama thinks so, and he thinks the tax payers should have to foot the bill. He made his view on this issue more than evident during a town hall meeting in Elyria, Ohio on January 22nd. Here is a excerpt from this Ohio town hall meeting, where a 29 year old felon who has never had a job in his life asks Obama if he will help felons get a job.

Jerome the felon asks Obama:

“I’m 29 years old, and I’ve never had a job in my life. I went to jail when I was younger. It’s like hard to get a job as a felon. Is this — any programs that hire people with felonies like something that — because it’s sad, it’s like — 29 years old, I’m 29.”

Obama Answers Jerome:

“Look, I’m proud of the fact that you’re bringing this up because there are people who’ve made mistakes, particularly when they’re young, and it is in all of our interests to help them redeem themselves and then get on a straight path. Now, I don’t blame employers obviously for being nervous about hiring somebody who has a record. It’s natural if they’ve got a lot of applicants for every single job that that’s a question that they’d have in their minds. On the other hand, I think one of the great things about America is we give people second chances.

And so what we’ve tried to do — and I want to say, this has been a bipartisan effort — when I was in the Senate, working with Sam Brownback; my Vice President, Joe Biden — passing a Second Chance Act that helps to fund programs that help the reintegration of ex-felons.

It’s smart for us to do. You know, sometimes people say, well, that’s just coddling people. No; you reduce the recidivism rate, they pay taxes, it ends up being smart for taxpayers to do.”

Shame on Jerome, if he really wanted a job he could get one. He is playing the victim card. In reality he is only a victim of his own bad decisions. Taxpayers already pay for convicts to be in prison, now Obama wants us to pay to get them a job? Don’t get me wrong, I believe everyone(well, almost everyone) deserves a second chance, but it is not the responsibility of everyone else to provide that second chance.

Now before you start sending me nasty emails saying “you are stupid, and you just don’t understand how hard it is for felons to get a job.” Please allow me to stray from the beaten path for a moment and tell you a bit about my own experience.

I am a convicted felon. Five felonies to be exact. I spent the later part of my teenage years (15-19 years old) as a drug addict. Between ages 18 – 19, I lived out of the back of an Oldsmobile, and skipped around from job to job (i kept getting fired for some odd reason, hmm) to raise money for my heroin habit. I continued this pattern of living until I was finally arrested, charged with 9 felonies, convicted of 5 felonies, and sentenced to 1 year and 2 months in prison. One day, as I was sitting in my cell, I thought to myself, “this isn’t the life I want. I want something better, and I’m going to get.” So I made a plan for what I was going to do when I got out, and I decided to use my time in there wisely by educating myself. I started studying college algebra, then moved on to calculus and finally computer science. I also applied for college while I was in prison, so I could attend as soon as I got out. My release day came, and guess what, I went out and got a job flipping burgers the next day.

I worked the early shift at my new job . Public buses didn’t run that early in the morning(in VA, if you receive a felony conviction you lose your license), so I walked to work, 5 miles, every morning. When my shift was over, I hoped on a bus, and went to the local community college to take a couple of classes. When I got out of class the buses weren’t running so I walked home, 4 miles, every night. This process repeated everyday for 9 months until I finally saved up enough money to pay off all of my court costs, and go through all of the red tape required to get my license back. When I finally got my license and my car back, I went out searching for a new, better job. I found 2 jobs. Who would have thought that a convict could get 2 jobs (Jerome couldn’t seem to find 1 in 29 years). I met a wonderful girl at one of these jobs, and we eventually got hitched! Fast forward 4 years and I am happily married, the proud owner of a brand new home, 6.5 years sober, have a good job, and I am almost done with a bachelors degree in computer science (I pay my own way through school, so I only take as many classes as I can afford).

I told you this story to tell you this. I know it is hard to get a job if you are a felon. I do understand. However, if you are a felon, you are not a victim of society, you are a victim of your actions. It is not the responsibility of tax payers to provide you with a second, it is your responsibility. In the United States there are infinite possibilities for a second chance, but you have to go out and get it. It will not come to you. Don’t let your criminal record hold you back, use it as a lesson in life. If you work hard, pursue your dreams, and strive to be a good citizen, good things will happen. That is the beauty of liberty and freedom, you have every opportunity to pick yourself up, dust yourself off, and get on the right track in life. How could you not love a country that has allowed a drug addicted, homeless convict to become a sober, homeowner, with a beautiful wife, and lives the American dream everyday. God Bless America!

Crossposted from Liberty and Pride

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@My Life: I understand I am a felon myself from 8 years ago .I was so proud when I found the company I was working for ,however after working there 3 years I was terminated today due to I have applied for a pardon and that could take years for get if granted at all.It was a emotionall day .They hated it and want me to try and see what I can do andi can get my job back.I need help

I’m also a felon who is trying to do the right thing. I have an issue that I can’t seem to get around. I’m trying to get my license back through the courts there will ing to give me a payment plan but i can come up with the down payment im trying to pursue career truck driving school but I need my license back is there any help I can get to do this and I pay them back

@David: @David:

@David. …. so I have not been on in a long while and was just browsing through the comments and came across your comment. …. I imagine words from a stranger have little meaning .. however I truly am sorry for the many struggles you have endured in your life. I am 42 years old and have a 22 and 10 year old daughter …. constantly disappointing them and always wishing I could be someone they could be proud of. I am tired, worn down, exhausted …. and just DONE…. THEY ARE THE ONLY REASON I ATTEMPT TO SURVIVE… I USED TO HAVE SO MUCH STRENGTH AND NO MATTER HOW TOUGH THINGS WERE I NEVER GAVE UP….. I wish I could find that strength again. I wish i was dreaming of retirement instead of dreaming to find a job that will at least pay the bills. obviously I could go on and on …. but I wanted you to know I can relate. I do not know you or anything about you …but I know your a human being and you are worth more than you probably give your self credit for. …. I just felt I needed to say that …. if you ever need to chat or just wanna vent …please feel free …hope to hear from you soon

I have a felony that is over twenty-five years old and I graduated college in 2010. First of all, I am black and female and it is very hard to get a job…especially in the South. I do not own a home or an automobile because I cannot find a decent job with enough pay to obtain these things. I would like to work in the court system or probation because of my degree but most jobs dealing with the law require a squeaky clean record. So here I sit with this degree, owe money I have to pay back and don’t know how. I am going to be 56 year old soon and never held but one job since the felony…..I went to prison for being in the wrong place at the wrong time. My felony wasn’t a violent crime it was drug related. I did time and got out and still paying. Please help me anyone.

But why should it be that hard? If someone completed their sentenced, paid their restitution, completed their probation, met all their conditions, isn’t their debt to society effectively repaid? Shouldn’t the focus be on preventing recidivism?
You talk about giving felons a second chance not being a worthy cost of tax payer money. But that’s paramount to preventing recidivism. What is a more worthy expenditure of taxpayer money than to protect public safety?

My name is Garrett I have a felony on my background I am looking for a good job I work hard its just no one wants to hire me I have tickets I have to pay and need a vehicle I am willing to do anything to get my life back on track so if u can help me plz do u will never forget me I promise thanks

My name is Mark Thomas and 44 year old I’ve been to prison 4 times I’m a veteran I’ve been to the military two times I’ve done some things that are not actually right and I am very saddened by those things all I want is a second chance to have my record cleared in order to be a productive citizen in society have been married 20 years and I have six children 13 grandchildren and I just asked to be allowed to being a productive citizen in society without having a jacket over my back that people would look at me as being something of a virus or playing

I am a 45 y/o veteran who has had a few run ins with the law. I have two felony drug charges and finding employment in the south is not easy at all. I have always grown up believing that if our high-power can forgive us, why can’t man. Through out the years I have noticed seen and studied corrupt politicians who commit unspeakable acts to the people, publicly beg for our forgiveness, and end up back in office. But, I get caught with drugs (and I was caught dead-to-rights) and I am, for the most part, discarded into the deepest realms of social-Siberia with no hopes of surfacing; and to me that’s not fair. We profess our country was founded on “Christian” principles; note to self “actions speak louder than words.” I have heard via the “grapevine” from a group of veterans and have seen it for myself that the VA does employee veterans with felonious backgrounds, they truly believe in giving second chances. So, I have committed myself to applying in hopes to be in that number. Fellow, vets and civilians respectively, I know its hard and I am right, there beside you, but don’t give up. I know “easier said than done” but put in the words of Charlotte from “Charlotte’s Web” “chin up.” They can’t keep you down forever. Lastly, I have applied for a few jobs on the USAJobs website and have gotten some good responses. Currently, I was offered a position at the Picatinny Arsenal in NJ as a “Contract Specialist.” The position requires you to obtain and maintain a “secret” clearance, but I have seen employed vets who have been granted clearances, even with backgrounds. So, we will see what happens. Good Luck with all. All your hard works to a better life are not in vain.

@Curtis Robinson: I am an ex felon who has been out of prison since 2008. I caught another felony 4 yrs later. since then, I have not been in any trouble. I went to school for truck driving ! I am here to tell you, it is just as hard to find a job in truck driving with a felony ! I have had my CDL since july 25 and I still have no job ! if your felony is less than 5 to 10 years old, forget it if on probation, good luck ! I am not saying its totally impossible, but you are going to face the same challenges .

I am a convicted felon. I got locked out when I was 17.I think people who are convicted felons should have a second chance in life.they should be programs that help us find job so he won’t end up back in prison. then we should be able to join the military as well.

My Son has spent 15 years in prison for a drug charge and other charge but now he can’t find a job and they won’t let him come where I live because I live in government housing.? He feels so discriminated against? What can he do.

Im also a convicted felon. Its very discouraging when you want to do the right thing and noone wants to hire you. Please believe 1st, that you have to believe in yourself. 2nd if you really want to work, you may have to lower your expectations. Start with something that can open the doors for you, i.e. , mom and pop, private small companies, and maybe even volunteer 1st! Do not give up on yourself, we can sometimes be our own roadblock. If this can help 1 person, maybe they can pay it forward, Good Luck to all!

In a so called free country there would not be stigma against non violent offenses. That was created by government and DOJ, so now it should be their job to fix it. Some peoples dreams are not accessible accesible because of this false stigma. You should be given a chance at a career especially if you obtain a college degree. Then what happens from there is your own doing, but you should not lose oppurtunity from past non violent charges. This is do to government and this tough on crime crap.This stigma that once a criminal always a criminal is ridiculous. It is mainly from these conservative Christian types. The funny thing is their Christian beliefs teach them not to judge but they do the exact opposite..

No stigma
The left villified Bernie Madoff for his non-violent crime, doesn’t he have like 30 yrs where he’ll die in jail for his non-violent crime
False stigma is BS
You screwed up and it is up to you not society to prove yourself
Getting a 2nd chance is dependent on you maybe taking a lesser BS job to establish your credentials and than advancing
By your standards if you have degree in banking admin and your busted for
insider trading your assumption is that trading companies should give you another shot even though you’ve proved yourself a liability
Also its great that its right wing christians are holding you back via they’re hypocrisy like no one on the left ever held a grudge or a prejudice against a felon
Your post and its inherent ignorance shows most likely its your attitude thats holding you back and not society

I was released from prison in 2012. I went to school and got a degree and worked for a landscaping company for over a year. I now have a college degree but still can’t find work. I made one emotional bad decision ten years ago for the sake of my seven year old child and honestly would do it again if it kept him safe. I spent seven years in prison, jump threw all the hoops of probation and halfway houses, and have still not been able to find work. (McDonald’s will not even hire me) Should I pay for my entire life for one bad choice?

really sad and it’s really a shame. America being the country of the home free brave we’re supposed to be the greatest country in the world but yet of person goes to prison and is not allowed to have an opportunity to clear his name even after serving that time I’ll believe that we could have been incarcerated and have a felony record she come together and petition the state of petition to quarts in order to have all records cleared please respond to me because I would like to start a kiss chin see if the courts would overturn all the sentences after we have served our time thank you please respond

Do not be discouraged, you will just have to work a little harder, but the reward is far greater. Take any job that you can get, heck get 3 jobs if you can handle it. Save your money and start your own business, if you’re the boss no-one can hold you back from what you want, only you can do it, if you really want it! Dont go try to get a job that requires a background check. Volunteer, work for a small franchise, maybe a friend or family can help you, but again its up to you if you want to succeed! Good luck, i wish you all the best. Remember, if God forgives you, you have to forgive yourself and do something good for yourself☺

It amazes me that after reading this wonderful article about starting over, people are commenting to ask for handouts. This point of the article is YOU HAVE TO HELP YOURSELF! I was convicted of 4 felonies almost 11 years ago due to being with my ex-husband when he committed a crime. I walked out of the courtroom on probation, but with something to prove to the world. I got a divorce and took a job at a local factory to (barely) provide for my two kids. I worked harder than anyone there and went back to college at the same time. I eventually got a decent paying job in an office, where i stayed for 5 years. During this 5 years, I was constantly identifying weak areas and working to improve myself physically, professionally, and personally. Among many other things I read, listened to books while driving, trained for half marathons, and became a group fitness instructor, which at that time meant I was working 3 jobs, but it was great networking and even a Carnegie course can’t beat it for public speaking confidence! I was hired to run a local business, then actively pursued by both a financial advisor and a real estate broker. I was hired by Edward Jones investments and am also waiting to hear from DPOR regarding my real estate licensing. One of my letters of recommendation was from the Commonwealth’s Attorney who restored my firearms rights and knew my story. He had since observed my extensive work in the community and was happy to go to bat for me. Another letter was from the Sheriff. I don’t know if the state of VA will issue the license, but I do know that if I can’t get them, no felon can. I also know that if I can’t get them, I have a secure job at Edward Jones and will begin working toward passing my Series 7 to become a Financial Advisor. The moral of this article is that it can be done IF and ONLY IF you are willing to go above and beyond, to make sacrifices, and to work harder than anyone else around you every step of the way.

@ksp2089:
Great Job. America is the most incarcerated country in the world. People who do drugs is probably the number 1 reason why that is. Women who get abortions argument is hey it’s my body, well the person who smokes pot or drinks alcohol can say hey it’s my body. What infuriates me is how willing these politicians are to forgive illegal aliens and give them amnesty for breaking the law. Yet it’s own citizens they want to oppress and see that they never rise again. I guess it is such a corrupt system that if you make just one small mistake in order to navigate through life you need to hire an attorney. Yes that is why they won’t forgive us they need to keep on feeding the attorney’s.

@Nice:
Laws need to be changed so that a person who has paid for their mistakes can move on with their life and become productive members of society. Forever stigmatizing people is wrong and completely opposite of what we teach our children. Frankly, many of us wouldn’t have been born if our ancestors, uncles, aunts, grandfathers, grandmothers had been cursed with the felonies society hands out today for forgivable crimes. We are meant to be free yet we imprison our citizens while we only deport Mexicans. End the drug war, close the border, and speak up about changing laws that just don’t make sense. We publicly label and defame people who have paid for their mistakes and still think we are good people? Judges need to be judged in the next life as well as those who have been judging their fellow men and women. America.. the land of the un-free. Hopefully things will change when parents see their children with felony records and their lives ruined- maybe then judging and not forgiving will become morally wrong to the supposedly moral right, right??

I think the real issue here is can you be trusted? The statistics are that felons can not be trusted. Most licensed occupations are licensed so the government can protect the people who uses the services those licensed professionals provide. How many of you posting here committed only one felony? Was that a result of one poor decision? Why should anyone believe that your decision making process has changed? For those of you who committed more than one felony, you have already told the world you can not be trusted. It is always easier to blame others for your situation in life. ksp2089 bucked up and worked her way out of her sad situation. She didn’t whine about it, she found the nastiest jobs that would hire her and succeeded. A great many of us have faced a decisions in our life where we could have done the wrong, easier thing. We didn’t. We took a much harder road and achieved a measure of success.

@Randy:
Can we be trusted??? You know they say everyone commits crime everyday without even knowing it. Think back in your life for a moment. Ever have that beer at a party when you were in high school? How about smoking a little pot while in college? Ever go to the bar and get in a fight protecting your wife or girlfriend from some a-hole? Yeah, everyone that is a felon cannot be trusted. No, many can be trusted but are forced to “statistically” commit another crime just to feed and cloth themselves because people like you, who did many of the crimes we did and just was not caught, think we are the world’s worst people in the world. Since you do not believe we can be trusted why not just execute felons since the only thing you see them for is someone to step on and yell at when your fries come out cold… if you trust us to even make your food for you.

@Krees: I don’t think that’s what Randy was saying. Smoking one pot joint is ‘not a felony’. Getting into a self defense fight is not a felony. Why didn’t you use as an example: robbing a bank, or shooting someone, or raping someone? If I hired an individual to work for me and he stole something valuable, say a metal lathe for example, worth, oh say 25,000 and sold it and I found out that he did it so that he could pay for surgery for his son. Would that make a difference? I’d think real hard before I gave that person another chance to steal another $25,000 piece of equipment. On the other hand, in the first instance, suppose he came to me and told me he needed $5,000 to pay for surgery for his kid, there is a real likelihood I would have either given him or loaned him the money and saved myself $20,000 in the process. I think that’s the kind of circumstances Randy was addressing.

@Redteam: You are right. I have given money to desperate people who promised to pay me back. I knew they would not, but I saw their need.

Hi my daughter has a felon she got involved with pain pills and she went to rehab for 6 months and she’s 40 she only can get jobs like cleaning …..why can’t the president Obama get the felony dropped and I know that’s the reason crimes are so high they cannot get good jobs that pay. Please help these kids and maybe getting their record expunged ?

It’s not the president’s decision (from what I know). Research & history documents that policing and jail penalites were primarilty constructed to negatively impact people with dark skin. I’m guessing your family (like mine) isn’t rolling in the money. Most people who are, typically can pay their way out of, or lessen the impact, of drug offenses.

Fantastic series on public television.

@Randy: “Trust” is highly subjective, depending on a multitude of variables. In the past, as a drug user, I’ve never stolen from my employers, BUT, I would steel from my family like crazy, even in order to pay back money to friends that would lend it to me.

Locks on doors are not meant to prevent criminals from stealing. Locks are to prevent “NORMAL” people from being tempted to steal.

Ask yourself. Do you think every one in a police department trusts everyone else that works there? No they dont. hmmm… how ironic

Crack Dealer Released Early From Prison By Obama Murders Woman And Her 2 Young Kids…http://usherald.com/crack-dealer-obama-early-release-murder/

In his desperate quest to roll back the sentences of “non-violent” drug felons Obama has created a more dangerous country and a much larger problem.

Sadly this policy has come back to haunt a mother and her two young children in the most horrific way.

More from Judicial Watch:
http://www.judicialwatch.org/blog/2016/03/crack-dealer-freed-early-under-obama-plan-murders-woman-2-kids/

A convicted crack dealer who left prison early as part of the Obama administration’s mass release of federal inmates has been indicted by a grand jury for fatally stabbing his ex-girlfriend and her two kids in Columbus, Ohio. The gory crime drew national attention because the children, ages 7 and 10, were murdered to eliminate them as witnesses in the brutal massacre of their 32-year-old mother.
35-year-old Wendell Callahan broke into his ex-girlfriend’s apartment and stabbed the three victims, according to a statement issued by Franklin County Prosecutor Ron O’Brien announcing the indictment.

Callahan should have been in jail when the crimes occurred, but he was released four years early because federal sentencing guidelines for crack dealers got reduced. The change is part of President Obama’s effort to reform the nation’s justice system as a way of ending racial discrimination.

This does not fit the liberal narrative so how many of the mainstream media covered it?
According to a custom search of the week of the murders/arrest, only 5 news outlets bothered! All of them local news outlets.

@tacco: So I should trust you or someone who would steal from their own family? There was a time in your life when you had the opportunity to not be a drug user. You knew it was wrong yet you made the decision to use drugs which led to stealing from your family. So I should trust you to make good decisions in the future? You showed you make poor decisions and that is why people only allow felons to perform jobs that are difficult to screw up. Those jobs pay little. People who can be trusted get much higher paying jobs. You tell me how you can show me that I can trust you to make good decisions and I will find a good job for you.

Well… People make bad decisions all the time. I will disagree with you then agree on another point. First, history shows the decision to use drugs does not directly relate to a person being a “bad decision maker”. It has more to do with risk tolerance and amount of fear a person has, the same goes for the potential “break the law”, even for something like speeding or walking your dog in a “No Dog’s Allowed” Park . How many people (Steve Jobs) and other 70’s generation, do you think used drugs and later ended up in very respectable careers as leaders and making great decisions? Besides once someones an addict decisions are based on an entirely different standard. That’s like calling some a bad driver based on how they drive when drunk.

Educated people understand this reasoning. The whole thing with jobs is, why hire someone you do not know what-so-ever, who has a ‘record’ when you can hire someone who doesn’t, and do it with a clean conscience?

“Difficult to screw up?” Are you kidding!!! Felons often work in restaurants as cooks.. ask anyone with food allergies how serious a simple mistake can be and the consequences.

Now here’s where I agree.. It’s all about a persons last transaction(s), where the person is now, based on their daily actions and decisions. Bad people go ‘good’ and ‘Good’ people go bad… all the time. The latter is the worst and most pervasive!

@Randy: BTW, my family now trusts me 110% because they know my life has changed around in so many ways and they’re the ones I took from. My convictions are from possession of drugs and stealing my dads car (cause I missed the courtdate and it can’t be overturned no matter how much my dad pleaded).

@Nanny G: Whoa… LOL it’s not Obama’s fault silly. Hindsight is ALWAYS 20/20. That’s one situation, what are the stats? and what are the variables involved? with persons released from prision.

Normal people drive drunk everyday and kill entire families all the time and DUI is only a misdemeanor, what’s your point?

@tacco: See. you can not even be trusted to understand when you are wrong. There are degrees of wrong. A felony is a degree of wrong, but you want to put speeding and drug use in the same category. Drug users do not weigh the consequences when they make the decision to use drugs. Speeders do. The consequences are different. The penalties are different. Steve Jobs built his own company. Can you? If not, then maybe you should have weighed the consequences prior to committing a felony!

@Randy: Oh boy… now I’ve got to pull out the scientific research and bring you up-to-date. This one’s about why teenagers make bad decisions

…and… I do in fact own a company; not nearly as big as Apple though.

What’s your take on the scientific research on bad decisions and teenagers?

@Randy: I get what you’re saying, however your reason, assumptions and correlations are off.

Speeding and texting kill people everyday… is that not serious enough for you?

Of course I know I made a bad decision, how do you think one has the opporunity to change?

@Nanny G: Who said he wouldn’t do the same thing 4 years later

@Matt: I never messed up at a job I had. Got busted having a little weekend fun. I’m not here to argue and I don’t like politicians no matter what label they have.There only for war destruction and money, if you think any different than get your head checked. And nobody’s holding me back from anything I am in college and WILL get a job in my career path.

@tacco: That’s one situation, what are the stats? and what are the variables involved? with persons released from prision.

Fair enough.
From:
2014 study from the Bureau of Justice Statistics Following Prison Releases for Three and Five Years

Crime Type:
Within five years of release, 82 percent of property offenders were arrested for a new crime, compared to 77 percent of drug offenders, 74 percent of public order offenders and 71 percent of violent offenders.

Looked at differently:
Sex:
By the end of the fifth year after release, more than three-quarters (78 percent) of males and two-thirds (68 percent) of females were arrested.

Race:
Five years after release from prison, black offenders had the highest recidivism rate (81 percent), compared to Hispanic (75 percent) and white (73 percent) offenders.

Age:
Within five years of release, 84 percent of inmates who were age 24 or younger at release were arrested for a new offense, compared to 79 percent of inmates ages 25 to 39 and 69 percent of those age 40 or older.

@Nanny G: A big part of that is because they cant get jobs that pay proper, so they resort back to crime to make ends meet. Not everyone is a number on a statistic. People should be given the chance for opportunity than I’m sure those numbers will change. I dont live my life on statistics that’s ridiculous

@Tony: They can not get jobs because they made poor decisions. They made poor decisions even though they knew the consequences. They knew they were committing a felony but thought they were too smart to be caught. All of us had the same opportunities. I worked for less than $1 per hour and worked my way through school. I never thought of committing a felony to make it easier.

To address Tacco: when speeding and texting kill while driving, it is a felony. We pay the consequences immediately and later in life. Why do you think you should be different?

You who have committed felonies want those of us who worked hard to build a life and business to trust the results to someone who have stolen from family and committed felonies? Why should we take that risk? What have you showed to us that we can trust you with important things?

Look,
I know many people who have felonies behind them and are working in various jobs fairly successfully according to their various skill sets and own personal determination.
It’s not that companies hiring don’t want to give people a second chance it is the for the most part the individuals themselves.
Personally I have seen many felons come up front with their past get hired and then become chronic absentees, steal from employers and become disciplinary problems.
I believe it is their personal attitude, morals and determination which determines how successful they become.
The same personal attitude/ethos… that led them to their predicament in the first place is the root of their recidivism not lack of opportunity
For those that had a good ethic and got popped for drunk driving, drug possession … when they get out that root industriousness… is still present which enables them to overcome what to them is a setback not permanent monkey on their back.
It is not the governments or societies job to make it easy for them, it is punishment
for their transgressions and blaming labels put on them for their lack of opportunity is more or less a cop out giving them an excuse so again they bear no personal responsibility but blame evil old society for their predicament!

@Matt: That is my point. The reason they became felons in the first place remains the reason why they are poor risks to hire!

@Randy: You’re coming off as arrogant and I think you are also naivee. You give yourself glory and praise and credit yourself as good. You stand here before this forum attempting to lord yourself over me, as if I am seeking a job for you and you are the judge to rule me out. My friend, I own a business. My friend, there are reputable people in my community trust me, CFO’s, law enforcement members, professors, businessmen, etc. My friend, I changed because the Lord led me to see my faults and corrupt heart… I cried like a baby that day and that was the last day I drank or used drugs and since then I’ve progressed… currently in my last year of college full-time BA student 3.83 GPA, own a business and a single dad taking care of my 5 and 9 year old 95% of the time. I am good only because the Lord is good, working in me. I am not that beast with tattoos on his face, walking around with a limp and slang spewing from th mouht. You on the otherhand, are a felon by default. Your heart is corrupt and blinded by your self-righteousness (IMO) and you have nothing so important and judgement so great as to avoid a man who might “mess” it all up. (I could be wrong I don’t know you, and perhaps if you met me, you might have a different perspective as well)

I have three kids and I need my licence to get back in forth to work I need help getting them straightened out I don’t have the money but have a job that I’m having a hard time getting back and forth to someone please tell me there is a way I pray everyday for this to be handled I need this bad

@tacco: I am not arrogant at all. I have hired felons and have been 100% disappointed. You may have “seen the Lord”, but is it just make up? Will you divert to your default behavior. I had the same opportunities you had in live. I could have made the wrong decisions to take things easier. I didn’t. I understood the consequences of doing illegal acts. I understood that by doing those acts I was condemning myself and my family to a very difficult life for just one time taking the easy way out. I didn’t. Neither did my sons. Because of that, we enjoy a fairly good life.

There is an old Army saying, :one “aw s*it cancels a lot of atta boys” . The secret is to orient your life to collect all atta boys.

@Randy:

What do you mean by “default behavior”? So it’s inherent?… something possed since birth? Where did you get this idea from, because I would like to read research on that. Not to mention, it could probably help explain a lot to people here who always find themselves committing crimes.

Now I ain’t going to deny it, a large majority of “felons” have a ‘different’ lifestyle, which is not productive (to say the least). About you getting burned… I believe it and would be hardpressed to hire a felon myself, if I did not know them and the story behind their issues. I live in Miami and there’s a bunch of people I wouldn’t hire just because of what I hear come out of their mouth; their mentality… I don’t care that they have a clean record.

You already know… “good” people go bad all the time; and vice-versa. It’s an undeniable fact.

People don’t find the Lord, the Lord finds them. Romans 5:7-9

7 Very rarely will anyone die for a righteous person, though for a good person someone might possibly dare to die. 8 But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us. 9 Since we have now been justified by his blood, how much more shall we be saved from God’s wrath through him!

I’m curious, do you consider yourself a ri

@Randy: Last, but not least, the irony of the fact you “…have hired felons and have been 100% disappointed” is proof that you are not only a poor judge of character, but also a poor decision maker.

There’s an old saying, “First time, shame on you, second time shame on me”. Ironically, according to your own reasoning, you are “not fit to be responsible for important things”.

@tacco: guess you are right. I hired felons to give them a chance. They disappointed me by reverting to the behavior they decided to follow in their life. So, I guess this completes this post. The moral of this story is to not give felons a chance.

@Randy:

You are blaming all felons for your personal experience with a few people that’s not fair I’m sure you have hired people who are not felons and they have also disappointed you so keep that to yourself your comments make it bad for other people.

You really don’t get do you. Felons didn’t make a mistake. They just got caught. How many times did the commit a felony with out being caught? Felons chose to commit the crime. Now you want them to get another chance to commit another felony, right?