http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Willie_Horton
The only good thing about this is that it ended Michael Dukakis’ presidential ambitions. But this kind of liberal thinking keeps on giving. A VP at a Fortune 500 company I worked at was trying to put in place a policy of hiring convicted felons over all others regardless of qualifications, “because they’ve paid for their crimes and deserve a break.” I said, “Don’t the people who have worked hard, kept their noses clean and now need a job deserve a break too?” They didn’t matter in her world.
It’s possible to help both. It isn’t a matter of either deserving breaks, but God deserving to have His grace shared.
The shipyard where I work hires convicted felons on an equal level with everyone else. But they know what they are getting and the company has become just about the best Convicted Felon Rehab outfit there is. Those fellows have to arrive on time, work hard, and not mouth off to the supers.Everyone’s lunchboxes are checked as they enter and as they leave. Getting in the supervisor’s face gets you instantly fired. If the offended supe thinks the guy is a good worker and wants to keep him around he gets overruled by another gang super and the offender is fired and escorted off the property. Most learn to act like hard working citizens and the drinkers learn to confine their imbibing to days off. It all gets to be habit and few can’t maintain. Many of these men stay at the company for many years. Many others learn trades there, welding, electrician, etc, and go off to other yards for higher pay.