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
Well. where do we start with the point finger thing? The system is not always crack up to what it suppose to be. I agree that a lot of people get caught up in the system at a early age and couldn’t even afford a good lawyer to really give them good legal advice. Let the first person who has not sin cast the first stone, because public defenders don’t really do their job. So, please tell me is it really fair to tell someone that they don’t deserve help to get back on their feet, when the very system doesn’t care if you was innocent in the first place? All the state attorney want is a conviction to make themselves look good. They don’t care most of the time about how you may be not guilty, just you guilty. Futhermore, the black community is the victim of this system failure. I mean think about, like damn, 90% of the convicted felons are black. What….oh I bet you have a reason for blacks not being the victim hum! Well let me give yall something to think about. The black communties are mostly poor environments, broken families, and of course; the system. You tell me what wrong with that picture!
Well I haven’t posted on here in a while so I’ll give my two cents…
I am white so this is not a black thing. What this is is a way for the nay sayers to gain an advantage over the people that have made a mistake and got caught. Plain and simple.
Red904DUVAL: hi, IT has nothing to do with color of the skin,
It has nothing to do with being rich or poor either,
It has to do with the knowledge of right or wrong, and we are born with that knowledge,
and we are born with the free will to decide wich will be, right or wrong for rich or poor,
IT easy to blame poverty and color,but the fault is from the person self.
I agree that there should be more teaching of the 10 COMMANDMENTS in school more serious elaboration of the meaning of those COMMANDMENT, to all schools
AND if a young get in trouble, should be counsel and help by some kind of legitimate organisation,
WHAT come in mind would be a branch made in the military forces to get the kids on the
right track to be pardon after finishing the training which should be mandatory to felons,
so to give them learning tools also to guide them on deciding their future on a solid base.
ONLY my humble opinion, hope it make sence to you, bye
JAKE ,nice to have you back, hope your keep a positive way of thinking. bye
so i have carefully read over every post on this page…. and yes i too am a convicted felon.
i make no excuse for my crimes. i was a bad bad person once. i did many bad things. i stole, i lied , i cheated, and i did every drug under the sun. 🙂 but just because i “WAS” a bad person does not mean that i can not change.
I have now been clean and sober for over 8 years. i dont not do drugs and i do not drink! ( alcohol is 10 times worse then any drug out there) but that is a whole different argument. lol
i was finally arrested for the conviction of having marinol ( not sure that is spelled right) it is a pill given to people with cancer. My father is dying of cancer and the doctors here wont even offer this drug to him because of “THERE” views on it. so i traveled to a different state and got some for my father from another cancer survivor so he could try it and see if it helped him.
Upon returning to my home state to deliver this to my father i was pulled over and arrested for having a controlled sub.
This is why i am a felon! i make no arguments that what i did was not a crime. but i feel it was justified. Just as im sure the people who were hanged for helping slaves back in the day did.
anyways after reading this entire thread this is what i have to say………..
DR.D. You seem to me like a self absorbed ass hole who seems to think he is soooo much better then all of these other people on here. sorry for the personal attack but that is my view.
as for the ones who preach theres success stories…….call it what ever you want. Hard work or not you got lucky. Because into days world you would not fair the same.
now before you go hating on me………….i run a successful business and i pay taxes. I have hire 7 new people every year to help them out…………..P.s. i only hire felons! 🙂 call it what ever you want but if your app. does not have that box checked i simply throw it away! i know what it is like trying to find a job………….this is why i made my own opportunities. So i do all that i can to help others seeking to re-enter the work force after a mistake.
and as much as i hate the united states the one good thing to come out of this god forsaken shit hole is that we can say what ever we like at any given time but cause that is one right they cant ever take away! 🙂 fuck you uncle sam!
no i am sure i will get bagged on because i talk like a pirate and haven’t been a prim and proper. But im ok with that.
now on a side note…….. i have 4 degrees that do me no good at all anymore and im ok with that. i know that i am a good person and that is all that really matters.
to all the haters ……………. GO FUCK YOURSELFS! 🙂
AND TO THE FELONS WHO TRULY ARE TRYING TO GET THERE LIVES BACK AND TRYING TO MOVE ON…………I KNOW THAT IT IS HARD AND I KNOW THAT LIFE MAY AT TIMES SEEM UNFAIR BUT REMEMBER THESE ARE ONLY TESTS! AND ONE DAY ALL OF YOUR HARD WORK WILL PAY OFF. ONE DAY SOME ONE WILL LOOK PAST YOU PAST AND SEE THE GOOD IN YOU IF THERE TRULY IS SOME.
NOW FOR THE FELONS THAT SIMPLY WANT A HAND OUT OR ARE NOT WILLING TO DO THE HARD WORK IT TAKES TO GET YOUR LIFE BACK………..WELL ………..GO ROB A BANK OR GO BACK TO SELLING DRUGS BECAUSE IF YOU NOT WILLING TO MAKE A CHANGE FOR THE BETTER THEN YOUR NO BETTER OFF THEN YOU WERE WHEN YOU COMMITTED YOUR FELON! 🙂
THANK YOU AND GOOD NIGHT!
THIS SITE IS…: hi, you where doing good, until you start SPITTING first on others
AND on your own COUNTRY which is AMERICA, SHAME ON YOU:
YOU would be dead if you would would have been bad in another COUNTRY,
AND no kidding,YOU where caught on those pills you got from abroad probably because the FBI had been on you for a good while, as THEY DO’NT TELL THEIR SECRETS,and they take all the time
they need to catch a smart criminal like you who think to get away all the time,
YOU’R not a good person yet, dont brag yourself yet, even being on your own business
and hiring the felons which is very nice and kind, what ever your reason to do it,
BUT you are dividing them and yourself, from the other people of good faith which have never hurt anyone,: AND you dont project a good IMAGE of you as a leader, with your hate of AMERICA and other citizens and keeping that ANGER is not being a free person,
dont forget that your employees are looking up to you as a leader,
SO you are oblige to do give them more than a job; BUT the right INFLUENCE to feed their own soul and bringning them there own RECOVERY also as your own. bye SR
this site: This is a Conservative Political site, you can expect a wide variety of Conservative views from many different types of people with a variety of backgrounds. Many are business people like yourself and know about economic cycles that mean success or failure. Many of us were hoping to be retired at this stage, but we are facing a bleak future because of the current economic problems that plague our country.
If you are one of those with a business that hasn’t been affected, you are fortunate indeed and that reflects the luck you spoke of: yes, many people who work hard and never realize great success, hard work doesn’t guarantee success, but it is hard to be successful without working hard. Business people can make a series of bad choices or even one bad decision and suffer or the economy can make them obsolete; when you are in business, there are no guarantees or magic formulas for success, a good idea, some luck, and hard work might bring it all together, and that is this wonderful thing we call freedom: the chance to be a success or to be a failure.
Some people don’t have the nerve or will to risk everything on an idea, most new businesses fail, these people end up working for wages all their life or working as a preacher; this is another aspect of freedom, having the choice to choose among certain options.
I have often wondered how difficult it must be to come out of prison with nothing and build an estate with nothing. Without doubt, it is a formidable task and the temptation to resort to crime to get some operating capital must be tremendous. I know almost nothing about crime or the drug world because it just doesn’t enter my consciousness, but I know what it s like when you need more capital.
I commend you for your drive and dedication to improve your life and build a business, may you continue to be successful.
Although this site covers a wide variety of subjects, this one is a different even though the site owner is in law enforcement, but as a business owner, there are many ideas expressed in these cyber pages that might help you in your business. Not necessarily to tell you do this or do that, but to offer a frame of reference that has been established by many who have been very successful.
We welcome a wide variety of view points and I think with a little effort you could make some positive contributions with your business and life experiences; of course, we try to eliminate profanity, we have all heard the words, so there is almost no creativity involved in swearing and if there were, we could just tune into the site and see the profanity written across the top and go off to work satisfied. No we want you to expose yourself and let us know why and how you made it in this tough economy, most of us are patriotic and it is obvious that you are bitter, you might come to realize that the country that punished you so harshly has also given you the opportunity to recover.
We must learn not to be too vindictive over the punishment for our past transgressions. I got a speeding ticket a few months ago that would have been a hundred and change awhile back, but because the government of California is so weak and corrupt it was almost five hundred, Arnold needs to pay the bills. I know that doesn’t compare to your former situation, but the five hundred hurt when I drove 8 hours to a work site to work all day to make a thousand. I can’t dwell on the fact that it was a Hell of a price to pay for being 13 miles over the limit. I must get over the way I feel about the inefficiency of our state government and remember not to coast down a mountain at night in a car that could take the mountain at double the posted speed. Oh well, you get the picture it is a matter of degree: it is hard for a man who raced very fast motorcycles to go so slow all the time, but to make the country work, I must be bored out of my gourd for hours every day!
Anyway, I’d like you to stick around and join the discussions, I enjoyed your post and if you can get over the hatred, I think there could be mutual benefit. Good Luck, Skook.
SKOOKUM: HI, you are A wise man, and you always find the right WORDS,
IN any SUBJECTS which you decide to TACKLE; I had to note it again.
bye
Ryan,
My thoughts of your situation is this. I would start a business. I have a friend where I live who is a convicted felon who started his own business. He has more wealth than me. I would look into starting a small company such as a janitor service or lawn and snow removal service. Some business with a low investment to start, and work hard. The bible says if you work hard you won’t starve, and it don’t matter about your past. Christ died for your sins, take his forgiveness and move on. One thing nice about this life that it is not forever, and those who judge you won’t be as great as you in the next life. Take care don’t give up.
Later, Chill.
Im a female with a Felony and two Misdemeanors,I do have a job and i’ve been at it for almost two years Im ready to go but its not easy getting a new one so i feel like Im stuck here its very stressful because even-though i have this record Im not a bad person Im trusted by a lot of people I got my felony for hitting my daughter she went to school and told them and i didn’t lye about doing it i was already on probation for a fight i got into with a new boyfriend of mine baby-mother this was my first charge she pressed charges anything to see me in trouble even though she started and i finished i had to do what i had to do she know not to mess with me no more back to my daughter i was charged with a felony at the end off the day with her case she was never tooking from me i guess you shouldn’t hit your kids no matter what but thats how i was raise Im not a bad parent but you cant take money from me for the second time and me not do anything the first time i talked to her about it that didn’t work so i spanked her my second misdemeanor was when i was working at a job i had just been promoted and about a month later this guy comes in comes to my register its hard to explain but at the end of the day he districted me so much i didn’t charge his for all the things he brought to my register it was like he was a pro at this shit and i didn’t realize it to the security from the store walked over and called me up stairs i guess the thought it was someone i knew and i just grave him free stuff but i didn’t know this guy and i went to jail for like 3 days then got out and was charged with misdemeanors and i never seen that guy again i wish i could so i can tell him i lost my job over is con artist ass and was charged with his bullshit…..Im 27 and want to do more with my life Im a very pretty girl you would never think i had a record but its all bullshit stuff i want to work at a bank or in the medical field but i just dont see it happening…………..HELP
Wonderful responese…
I think everyone deserves a second chance…I know of a wonderful fellow who went wrong when he was 18 years old and served his time…he is now 36 yers old and can’t get a job to support his loving and trusting family…Please business look into these felons that have paid and paid and paid for their mistake!
I think everyone deserves a second chance…it if were anything other than crimnal there is usually a second chance…I know a young fellow that made a mistake in his late teens…He is now 36 years old and can’t get a job to support his loving and trusting family… There are thousands out there that could really deserve a second chance…Male or female…I wish it were up to me…I would do it in a heart beat…of course after some background checking…
Please business look into giving these felons a second chance…
I think that we all need a second chance. I have read the first story and that is great the mind that you got when in jail. Everybody don’t have the will to think like you until it is to late. I am a felon and keep getting jobs and getting fired because of my background. I am enrolled in college and still it’s hard. I served 24 months in jail. I thought that this was in the past. It has been 11.5 years and people look at your background as thou it happened yesterday. People get tired of hearing the same thing your fired your background just came back. I am asking you Barack who can I write to help me clear this record from my past. I need help real bad. I have 6 kids and can’t take care of them because I can’t get a job. I need your help real bad. I live in Memphis, tn. Who in the state can help me solve this problem or in your state I need to know. I need your help.
To My Life and Ros,
I believe in a second chance. People change. Times change. I’m tired of this evil government telling the rest of us who is worthy, and who is not. George Bush made a mistake, and with a little bit of money he was able to become President. It proves to me that criminals can do wonders.
It used to be a crime to be a gay, now it’s a civil right because some bureaucrat said so. Opps don’t ask don’t tell. It used to be a crime to drink alcohol during prohibition, now it’s legal and why? The government gets money for that new privilege. Pot, it used to be legal, now because of some bureaucrat it’s a crime. As far as I’m concerned alcohol is more dangerous.
NOW National Organization for Women are able to kill the unborn without being charged. Now it’s a constitutional right. They say “Government stay out of my bed room”. My Life it doesn’t make sense to me to discipline your child, and being charged as a criminal when you can take the life of an unborn.
I read about some guy who had a felony charge when he was young. He didn’t know whether or not he was charged with anything. His life moved on, and perhaps filled out applications for jobs, he might have avoided a few back ground checks along the way.. He made it to the top. He was the township supervisor. He didn’t realize he had a record until he applied for gun permit. I guess you lose a constitutional right while still having a privilege of driving a car. With that being said everyone who knew him said that he was a great man. He ended up getting a presidential pardon. So when he fills out an application, you wonder if you still have to say that you have been arrested.
If I had a lot of money I would open a business and hire people who have been arrested before. These people would be hard workers, and they would be paid well. The end result it would be a kick butt company, and the people working there would have a sense of self worth.
This Christmas season just remember this world might not forgive us but Jesus will. That pardon is worth more than any other pardon. Don’t give up hope, Jesus will open up doors that no one else can. His will be done, and so is his forgiveness.
Chill; WOW, so much more than you wrote comes out from you, invisible words long to be seen
in all your comments; I have notice the WISDOM shinning through, and I thank you for it
and to all the felons who wrote here at FA, I wish some good work conditions being offer to you,
from the busynesses who can overlook the past, and give you a second chance,
after all who can throw the stone, we are all humans surviving in a sometimes harsh world,
being young is not easy for anyone,and in this AMERICA with the freedom in the FRAIMERS LAWS, there is room for a second chance, that some can never find du to sicness
and disability, telling that you already have a chance into getting the second chance,
best of all for the hollydays to all. from my hearth
It’s very interesting to see your story and to see how you respond to the individual whose having problems getting a job. By being an ex-felon yourself you well know that there are two types of crimes violent and non-violent. Being a drug addict most of your crimes were probably property crimes,( i.e retail fraud). the non-violent crimes are over looked and only the violent ones stand out. (i.e ccw carrying a concealed weapon). A crime could have been committed 10 years ago and the person could have changed his/her whole life around for the better; however, the only thing that employers are looking at is the type of crime that was committed, violent or non-violent. Here’s something that explains the issue very well.
Ty,
I hate to disappoint you, I have not been convicted of a felony. So I’m not a felon. I have been arrested decades ago for a misdemenor. Not my fault though, but the charge stuck through a strange set of circumstances. I was with someone who had a small amount pot, and because I was with him, they got me too. I had a lousy lawyer, and they threw the book at me. I didn’t get any jail time, and it was my first, and only offense. I was told that he would get my record expunged. I didn’t know I had a record until decades later. I did alright for myself with the Lord’s blessings. Now when I see applications even for volunteering it asks me about my past. Well I want to move on, because I’ve been forgiven.
I realize they want to weed out the good from the bad, however I’m not the same person. I’m only here to post about people who feel helpless because of a past mistake. The government not forgiving people of their pasts are only cultivating more failures. This makes these people more dependant on the government. People who are truly repentant want a second chance. The ones who don’t will end up repeating crimes.
The first person Jesus took to heaven when he hung on the cross was a criminal. That flies in the face of the self righteous.
Thanks ilovebeeswarzone for your kind words. Like I mentioned, I’m doing alright for myself, I’ve been with the same company for almost 20 years, I work so hard that the recession can’t catch me LOL. I put myself in the felons shoes, because in all cases I don’t want my past to keep on coming up. It’s like being punished for same crime over and over again. True rehabilitation only comes after a probation period, and a second chance.
Merry Christmas, and a Happy New Year.
Chill, hi, the unfair part of it to my mind is the leader gives in with illegals commiting the first crime by comming in this contry and many are commiting more crimes and they are being
accepted just the same, WHERE REAL BORN AMERICANS, MANY OF THEM FROM OLDER ROOTS IN AMERICA, ARE NEVER BEING FORGIVEN, WHAT IS THIS COUNTRY WANT TO DO?
WELL IT SEEMS TO ME THEY ARE FAVORING OTHER THAT SUIT THEIR VOTING PREFERENCES,
AND NEGLECT THE AMERICANS, NO MATTER WHO THEY ARE, THEY ARE NEGLECTING THE YOUNG PEOPLE WHO HAVE MADE MISTAKE, BUT REDRESS THEIR BEHAVIOR TO EARN RECOGNITION OF BEING WORTHY OF JOINING THE OTHER IN THEIR PURSUT OF HAPPINESS AND SUCCESS, THIS IS A CRIME FROM THE GOVERNMENT, PUNISHABLE, BY REMOVING THEM FROM POWER .
NOW LET’S LOOK COSER WITH, WHO REJECT YOUR APPLICATION, IT’S an employee most of the time, an empty head WITH AUTOMATIC REFLEXS,WHO IS CONCENTATING ON THE NEGATIVE LINE,WITHOUT ANALYSING THE POTENTIAL OF WHAT THAT PERSON CAN DO TO UPGRADE THE COMPANY, AND SHE WILL JUMP TO A LESSER QUALIFIED PERSON WHO MATCH
HER PERSONAL VISION AND NOT THE COMPANIES NEEDS,
SO I would suggest the felons to use more tenacitys and not give up onthe first reject but go to the head of the companies and show why you are insisting because you know of your own values that you can be an asset for them. look at the lobbyists pursuing the government until they get what they want, well when we look at it , it’s all a selling game, and the first try doesnt sell but more of it will bring a result, and when you think of it, IT TAKE ONLY ONE SUCCESFUL SALE TO GET YOU A JOB YOU REALY WANT, BEST TO YOU ALL AND YOU ALL STAY PROUD AMERICANS
Well said ilovebeeswarzone. The key is don’t give up and to sell yourself, by promoting yourself.
I went to an interview and the employer asked if I ever made a mistake. I said yes, he was impressed that I was honest. Happy New Year.
CHILL, THANK YOU, AND HAPPY NEW YEAR TO YOU TOO,
I KNOW how hard it is to be young, when you get in a place to ask for work, and they ask you what is your experience, and your only 14, saying to the person 17,
I look at him and describe 10 years of experience, and I GOT THE FIRST JOB.
IT WAS AROUND CHRISTMAS, I’LL NEVER FORGET. BYE Y’ALL,
OH YES, THERE WAS THAT OTHER JOB AFTER AT A STADIUM , WITH MY SISTER
making hotdogs, and when the first intermission start, the whole public where running toward us 2 alone in there, horrified, and my older sister grab my hand and we ran as fast as we could before the mob arrive, yes I REMEMBER THAT ONE TOO.
YOU’LL SEE HOW FUNNY IT GETS AS YOU PASS THAT STAGE, BUT YOU MUST LIVE THAT STAGE FIRST, AND SURVIVE IT, IT GET EASYER AFTER,
Right on, ilovebeeswarzone. It’s hard to be young but ask God for direction. He has the right path for you.
I remember my first real job being a janitor at a hospital. It was an old folks home. The people were great.
I can relate to this article. I too am a convicted felon. The problem with some people are too lazy to get a job and would rather sell drug and will eventually, get caught and go right back to jail. I have been convicted twice and served my time both times, graduated from college within eight months from a two year program with no credits being transferred with an AAS of Medical Assisting (Knowing that it is hard to get a job in that field). I am not a quitter. There are actually some employers that will take a risk in hiring convicted felons. It’s all about the attitude, credentials you have, and the people you know. If it is so hard to get a job, it’s not hard to put some of the knowledge or experience you have into a business. It is not hard to apply for grants and loans with a business plan. I did this myself without applying for a loan or grant. Since I am a hairstylist, I figured that I could do hair from home, apply for an ein on http://www.irs.gov, file my taxes for it every year to show that I have a legal income. I also applied for an PTIN to file taxes, got fingerprinted, paid my fee and now a professional tax filer and can electronically file taxes. The point is, never give up. There is still hope out here for convicted felons.
Great blog and glad to see that you have came from a bad start to make great improvments with ur life. I must disagree withyou on playing the victim. I have tons of friends who have made mistakes early in their life and are having a very hard time getting a second chance at life. I was told by many that its like serving a life sentence on the street because your life is over. The expungedment system suck and there are no longer any jobs that dont do background checks. We dont have a a avenue or they are very limited and Im working hard in my area to help make some changes thank you for this blog check me out at http://www.GODofa2ndchance.com
James, I tend to agree with you. The system stinks. This is why you have repeat offenders. Even the repentant criminal sees little hope. However God can open doors that a system can not shut. If you get a benevolent boss, and gives you a second chance then perhaps that is a golden oppurtunity to prove the system wrong. It dosen’t take much to become a felon. Some buracrat makes up some stupid law and the offender steps in it. You get a bad attorney and things can go from bad to worse. If you hire a repentant felon, you can have yourself one hell of an employee.
Can I get pardon if I have sex offender case? I live in Mexico, This case was 13 years ago.
Please someone help me.
Thank you so much.
Hey please check me out at http://www.Godofa2ndchance.com and I will be happy to help you thank you!!!!!!!!!
Sean, I appreciate you for opening this website. First and foremost would like to say I will be incarcerated in about a month or so. I am currently an electrician that just happened to be at the wrong place at the wrong time. I have the least respect for police officers in my area just because of the simple fact that they lied under oath in court. Basically, I just want to thank you for the motivation of knowing that even after incarceration, there is still the possibility of living the American Dream. I helped my wife get through college and my plans were to go back and get an engineering degree. Hopefully there is programs in jail where I can continue to educate myself.
Law Abiding Citizen, sorry for you, I just want to add, keep your hopes up more then ever,
and good of you to study during that time, which will pass faster,
keep your faith in the police force because there is many fine people in there,
you know only one bad in a package of good ones, that you probably will meet in your life
that would help you instead of sink you, bye
Dear Law Abiding Citizen,
With God all things are possible. Just look at George Bush that man had a record, and yet climbed to the presidency. It’s not what you were it’s what you are. If it’s the present it’s not what you are it’s what you will be. The greatest story is when a man climbs out of a pit and makes it to the mountain top. Don’t give up, God says he will never leave you nor forsake you. If he needs an engineer I believe he will make you one, and a damn good one at that.
every one Deserve a Second Chance now if you dont think so thats to bad cause my dad is a felon but its been 25 years+ and thay say that thay dont go back 7years THATS A Fu*KIN LIE thay do
Well Sean, i think that your as full of shit as a Christmas turkey, in fact, i think your some right wing, Neo Con asshole writing under a pseudonym, and you pulled out of your ass the most incredible bullshit story ever told in order to drum up anti support amongst your right wingnut constituents for Obama’s proposal, 5 felonies and all worked out ?, who’s dick did you suck?, you sure that your not a screenwriter?, because that line of weapons grade bullshit you wrote sounds more like a Hollywood drama than anything iv’e heard in my life, and just so you know, 5 felonies in less than 5 years = career criminal = 25 to life in most states, so feed somebody else your bullshit, cause i’m not buying any of it, and what your basically saying is the millions of people in this country who only have one felony conviction and can’t find work aren’t trying hard enough and can’t blame no one but themselves?, spare me the head games you lying sack of right wing shit, but hey, heres an idea, why don’t you use your apparent expertise in this area to help other people (like Jerome for example) get their lives back, but i forgot, your a fucking charlatan who’s working on behalf of the far right, who’s probably never seen the inside of a cell, so stop lying to people, you neocon fucktard, and, as for Chill, Bush didn’t work his way up from shit, he’s from a wealthy family, his access to wealth and power took care of any criminal past he had, you can’t possibly be that fucking stupid as to imply that an already wealthy man supposedly pulled himself up by his own bootstraps, The American people are truly a gullible breed……
@ RA,
First off, Sean is my real first name. I do have five felony convictions. However, had you actually paid attention to the story you would have noticed that I am not a repeat offender. All of the felonies came down on me at once. Here is the link to the Virginia state circuit court records: http://wasdmz2.courts.state.va.us/CJISWeb/circuit.jsp. Look in Norfolk, Virginia Beach, and Chesapeake circuit courts. If you are as smart as you seem to think you are, finding my last name shouldn’t be to hard. Some quick google searches would reveal that. …..if you do that search and look me up, you’ll eat your words. Do your research before you post petty, unfounded attacks.
Now, What exactly are you so upset about? I certainly believe that convicted felons deserve a second chanve. However, what I am against is the federal government using taxpayer dollars to create a bureaucracy that will help felons jump over the hurdles put in their way by the federal government. This is akin to masking the symptoms rather than curing the disease. The real issue here is poor legislation that allows criminal records to be easily accessed. We don’t need to waste taxpayer dollars on a government program to help people avoid this. We need to change the laws. Perhaps, something along the lines of allowing those with non-violent crimes to have their records permanently sealed after completing certain terms.
Government is the problem, not the solution.
@RA: P.S. I’m flattered that you think my life story is Hollywood material…..actually, the whole story is much much longer. Heh, maybe my story will be a blockbuster hit! Thanks for the suggestion.
I totally agree I think the first step is along the lines of adjusting some laws with the expungment process. With certain thing like a good length of time from the coviction and not being rearrested. Thank you Sean for this web site
@Sean: I’ll be sure and look it up, but even if your story does check out that would simply make you one of the lucky ones, nothing more, and, oh yeah, i am smart, VERY smart, so you can shove your little sarcastic remark right up your ass, that said, i did read your post, and you came off very condescending, so yeah, that did piss me off, because you appeared to be totally unsympathetic towards an individual who’s in a situation that you should be able to relate to, and if anything you should be one of the first to offer some sort of help in reguards to those who are in similar situations as the one you managed to get out of, even if that help is nothing more than a little advice or some encouragement, but for you to resort to sarcasm is simply fucked up, plain and simple, and as far as “your” tax dollars go, it seems to me that you and all the other ultra right wingnut asswipes out there don’t seem to mind one bit that $ 1,500,000,000 of those tax dollars are spent each year warehousing mainly non violent offenders in the prison industrial complex so companies like CCA, GEO, and Whackenhut can get wealthier, yet, your quick to bitch and moan whenever somebody even harbors the idea of spending SOME tax money towards some sort of rehabilitation, bottom line Sean, if you don’t have anything positive to say keep your sarcasm to your damn self.
RA, why would you be so offensive by loosing your manners on a public forum to insult and promote nothing to help the other ,on your own experience that look to me from hell,
YOU ALONE CAN MODIFY YOUR ATTITUDE ; NOBODY IS RESPONSIBLE FOR YOUR ANGER,because you allowed it yourself to happened; now you can start to think positive
to change toward a better life for a future that is coming faster than you think,
just think to begin with that you are alive and into a free country probably not disable I assume
and with all what the other have to survive, should I name them for you to realize what they are?
YOU said to be smart, so I’ll let you figure it and they are many, start by looking in the mirror,
and see your eyes, nose mouth ears, what are they good for and go on until you get to look what your BRAIN posess of wonder and check each of it because there is many also.
CHECK IT UP MAN,
I really haven”t heard much about us through his own lips its up to us to create our own future and for the future of the tens of millions of men that will have to look for jobs and maybe raise a family .
Being a felon is a challenging I know longer see it as a curse now it has given my all the reason to live .
If the government gave a dam we would be able to rent there telling us to fuck our selves ,so far I havent seen no men saying go fuck your selves .
Personally I am not waiting for no one to offer me a shitty job or wait for a housing bill I have to live now .Personally prison as better I almost think death or experiencing a few rounds in my head would be better.
@Chris: Dude, i read your comment and you have a valid point, we DO need to take action, because to date there’s an estimated 20 million non violent felons in this country, that’s more people than the populations of Los Angeles, New York City, and Chicago COMBINED, so, we have a voice, a VERY BIG voice, we’ve got to harness that voice, there has to be some sort of organization, because when you consider the fact that at least two thirds of the non violent felon (nvf ) population can still vote it becomes rather obvious that we do have some power, as in the power to seriously impact who gets voted into office on the local and state level, what does that mean?, it means that if we were organized, we have enough people to literally make candidates deal with our issues, that means that if the candidate is not willing to deal with our issues we have enough people to ensure his/her ass won’t win the office he/she was campaigning for, we have the power bro, we just have to harness it.
RA, good point there, if you all channel those votes toward my friends CONSERVATIVES, YOU HAVE A GOOD CHANCE OF BEING HEARD, BECAUSE THEY DONT DOUBLE TALK OR USE
NO BULSHIT RACING CARD TO DIVIDE THE COUNTRY,AGAINST EACH OTHER AMERICANS,
AND THEY WILL DO EXACTLY WHAT THEY SAY THEY WILL,
BYE
Hi my name is Christina I am 29 years old and when i was 24 I ended up going down with my ex boyfriend whom I had no clue was doing meth at the time i ended up going to jail for 4 days and i had to take a drug class for 4 days and some other things. After that i ended up having a felon on me. I ended up getting a job which i was lucky, and so i started to go to school. Will one day in june 2009 I was with some friends and i ended up broking my foot. I did everything in order to keep my job but it turned out that they did not want to be held responsable for me just in case i hurt myself so they let me go with out telling me. I did ended up getting unemploment but I only get 460 and I am lucky to get by because i also help my mom out for a place to stay. One day i went to someone who could tell me how much it would cost me to get the felon off and he told me that it should of been off 2 years ago but it’s not so now i have to come up with 700.00 just to get it off and it’s hard for me to do that at this time. But back to the job thing I got offerd a job working for walmart and when they asked to run my background check i tolded them what had happened 5 ears ago and so the made me fell out hiring papers and do a drug test and they said that they would call me but never did. So when 2 weeks went by I got papers stating what was on my background which was what i had told them but I had no clue what was going on. I called walmart and they said to me we are not responsable to call and let you know you where not hired. At that moment i was so let down I keep applying at place even thought I know they wont hire me. I just want my life and It’s not fair i can see if i had other things regarding the samething but I dont.
I’m sorry to hear that, but is sad.
I live in Tijuana Baja California, Here is better I have a job but I did have some problems at the
beginig. take care Christina..
@ilovebeeswarzone: And exactly which parallel universe did you come from?, because here on Earth the conservatives are the most self righteous, uber racist, warmongering, gun happy, Jesus freaks in existence, and as far as the “race card” goes, that’s a phrase that was coined by the conservative media ( first used in the OJ Simpson trial) to shame black people out of calling attention to the fact that their being wrongfully treated, so to imply that conservatives are forthright and honorable is like an oxymoron, but, liberals aren’t much better, that’s why i’m an independent .
@christina D: Try having your charge/s reduced to a misdemeanor, according to your post it’s been 2 years and as long as there’s no other newer felonies on your record getting your charge/s reduced is your best bet, find out if you can do it in your state, if so, find the probation office, or public defenders office, and get all the necessary forms and they’ll assist you in how to fill them out and file them if need be, once they’ve been filed it usually takes about 60 days before you appear in front of a judge, and if you’ve been doing good the judge will, in most cases, reduce your charge/s from felony/s to misdemeanor/s, and, for the most part, it’s basically free, you might have to pay a filing fee or pay for copies of your record, but that’s pretty much it, and if all works out you’ll be able to work again, and for way cheaper than the $ 700.00 you would’ve had to pay a leach,,,,ur,,, lawyer , hope this helps you out.
RA, hi, I see that you have a leaning tangente toward the other side of this blog,
WELL if you are an independant as you mention, sorry but you will have to straighten you up at one point in time and reconnise that the CONSERVATIVES ARE THE BEST CHOICE TO HELP ON YOUR IDEA, THAT YOU MENTIONNED BEFORE, UNLESS YOU WHERE NOT SERIOUSLY SOLD TO YOUR OPINION,
HEY MAN THIS IS YOUR CHANCE IN 2012 TO IMPROVE OR WAIT TILL YOU GET TOo ANGRY TO THINK STRAIGHT. AND STOP KILLING THE MESSENGER. BYE
I do not believe there are second chances. I live in Texas the hardest and most unforgiving state. I am 24 years old and when I was 17 years old I took my step-moms credit card and purchased this prom dress that I wanted. In an effort to teach me a lesson my parents took me to the police station to tell what I had done. It was a very hard lesson to learn because I was charged with felony debit/credit card abuse. I went on to graduate from high school not fully understanding how this background would hinder my future. I immediately went to college and graduated at the top of my class in a Nursing program. After completing school and acquiring all these school loans, I was denied the opportunity to sit for the board of nursing. I then also found out that I could not rent an apartment as i had been staying with my parents during school until I had a child and hoped to be working in a very good industry. I have had over 22 interviews (not an exageration) and even though the hiring recruit express how they wish they could hire me because of motivation and impecable skills, they cant due to my background. I have never been a person to give up easily so I kept trying even though i was getting shut down. Now sad to say but I have become a professional student. I keep up a 4.0 GPA just to get awarded student loan, grants, and scholarships that I am currently living off of. I understand that I will have to somehow repay these loans and I also know that an education is something noone can ever take from me. I completed 5 years of probation without a single violation. I have applied for a pardon in which I was told could never be achieved in Texas. I am still hopeful and pray that something will work out for me.
evon, hi, your determination will pay offsometimes, somewhere for sure,
your not giving up and that is super grand, you are studying to upgrade your already learned profession,
it is super that you have such a solid spirit, I dont want to minimyse your earlyer actions that was not realy nice to do, but your parents went quite strong by calling the police,
they had other options to resort to before going the hardest way to punish,
as we know that parents are there to forgive but punish well, yes forgive because they where young to and had their learning time themself, well I wish the best for your future, did you try
the organisation that are suppose to find help on getting a removal of that stygma on your references profile?
dont give up on that even after refusal get back on it,
best to you
@RAY W: i am a folen and been out for over a year now got a sick husband and he cannot work and i cannot get a job because i have to do that back ground check and there go another beat the dusk no job no money but thank god i have stayed out of trouble i donnot hang around anyone that isnot walking a streight line i want go back for noone or nothing i might loose my home and have to live under a tree with my sick husband and two dogs it will be because i couldnot get a honest job in this messed up world god say you has not sinned cass the first stone and i know it is more people out there that just hasnot got caugh yet that should be locked up like an anamil and get out after giving you time to the state for you crime and can support your family yell that will keep those people that doesnot know god will givr=e you more than you can handle out of crimes and drugs if they have that problems too . the bible says do to others as you want them to do to you . well i do i give my appcations and what do i get a look that would kill you been in prison they say to me well i sorry but you donnot meet our needs for this job open sorry good luck some where else . and i walk my self right out the door and say to the lord i know you will answer my prayers as you see fit and he will because he is the only one that can keep me together because i belong to god no one esle can help me . may god bless us all
Audrey t, so sorry to hear of your hard time to find work, you have that high spirit, that is a great help in theses hard times that every young people find that the jobs are very hard to find,
I sure hope it comes to you,soon,
did you try to find a job from home like some marketing for a company on the phone like a survey on some, or on the computer, kind of some advertising style, we cannot focus only on one particular job,
we have to check any kind to start to put our feets in the market first to acquire experience,
how about restaurant serving jobs, I start to work at 12 and that was my first job, they thought I was 16
and like you I had to pay my rent and eat, so in restaurant if you keep a smile no matter what, the clients will tip good, and you eat there too so it is an idea for beginner, hard work too you can expect and they don’t pay much but the clients make your bulk of the money, I pray GOD that you find something soon,
I know HE help me when I was very young, and I kept my high spirit always, and always felt a protection
over me, surely it had to come from GOD and his employees, take care, never give up that’s the
SECRET OF IT ALL, BYE
chris, hey, don’t get down to think of ending it all, that is too extreme, and you might miss so that would render you worse of, you are paying a big price for whatever you have done, but life must go on,
and there is something for you, and yes tou will have to clime to the MOUNTAIN BECAUSE SHE IS NOT ABLE TO MOVE but you have the legs to get on top and with each breath of fresh air you will get there,
know your talents, everybody has a talent,gift of all your ancestors genes, check them up, what did some of them accomplish succesfuly, that might lead you to find what you have in your gutts feelings
and take the time to learn what make you tick, what you are drawn to, what interest you,
soul searching and all, then the light will burn you when it hit you, then the hope will cover your despair,
to completly erase it. then you ill be ready for your future. bye
@christina D:
Christina, I feel your pain. It’s a shame that the government / beauracrats want to hold an incident over peoples lives for life. The abortion issue the woman says “Hey it’s my body”, and they get away with it. But when you smoke pot “It’s your body” yet these beauracrats want to throw the book at you. What’s the difference between Crack and Alcohol? The one is taxed the other isn’t. So there lies the hypocracy of the power hungry politician. The one is OK because it is taxed, the other isn’t. Both will get you high.