Where is it written that ex-cons must NOT move away from environments that contributed to their crimes?
Why can’t ex-cons be provided with rent-free homesteads on Federal land in Alaska where their work in clearing the land, planting and harvesting crops, and living crime-free lives would be rewarded with ownership of that land?
Would ex-cons accept this challenge? Who knows? But what would be “lost” by making that offer?
Why is it bad for the victims, as Stossel purports up front?
If someone harmed my family I would want them in prison for a long time.
Alas, we live in a society where illegal criminals get 24 months for DUI manslaughter.
PS: The justice system no longer serves the people. Most here know that. But many do not want to take the next logical step and agree to gut the system and start over, or at least reform. That means many judges and DAs are going to prison for their crimes. It’s a big step, I know. The stable needs to be cleaned out.
Not sure what percentage of convicts want to straighten out their lives, but if they can’t support themselves legally when they get out, what’s the alternative? And if they aren’t getting rehabilitated, then why are we spending so much on the prison system? It’s a crazy situation.
Rap music and Hip Hop tell young people it is the sly kid who goes and makes a living selling drugs.
but then you get popped and then you can’t work doing anything else.
The music industry has a lot of the blame actually.
young people listen to music, they actually believe it.
It seems especially unfair when employers can hire actual criminals that have been lucky or skilled enough at committing crime(s) to have never been caught. How could an employer know that the recently rejected applicant was actually less of a criminal than the person they just hired?
Stoessel seems to have lost his common sense. The jobs he lists are professions that require a high degree of diligence and trust, and are regulated in the interest of public safety. I generally do not like regulation, but a person who has demonstrated a willingness to “break the rules” for their temporary interests will never be a good choice for designing building structures, fire exits, performing geological studies that determine bearing capacities or potential value based on mineral resources, etc. Nail salons and dance halls can quickly become hq for prostitution and drug sales. Nurses dispense potentially deadly drugs and many more with great value on the street. The temptations are huge and the potential harm is great. The remedies are too little, too late (Sue for money they have stolen that is long gone? For wrongful death after a building collapses? Someone dies because fake meds were substituted? Or ex-con nurse takes $ for offing someone?) How will ex-cons get the liability insurance required for professional work?
The “need” for employing ex-cons is real, and is good public policy. That does not make it good policy to allow cons into any job. Much better to focus on individuals and a path to legal rehabilitation after due process.
Stoessel does not demonstrate proper analytical skills. Hmm...ex-cons can become journalists — no diligence or trustworthiness required, no regulation.
Once the debt has been paid, all rights should be restored. That requires a change in the existing reglations regarding ex-cons, but it also imposes a stricter obligation on the criminal justice system to scrutinize the cons it’s releasing back into the public sphere.
Conviction for multiple felonies or certain more heinous crimes should include the option of being stripped of all or some of your rights, even post-release, as part of the sentence.
As our pastor has a jail ministry, many come to our small church after they are released. It is getting to be an issue for our family. Twice the church has had to tell him no-this sex offender should not be around our children. He gets very upset because “they are now saved” and therefore changed. First one proved he was not changed, second one is still in a halfway house so time will tell.
Currently there is a guy who makes me extremely uneasy:
-His name is Mohammed
-He brings a backpack every Sunday but never takes a Bible, notebook, pen, etc out of it
-He stands during songs, but when we remain standing for the reading of God’s word he sits down. Stands again when Bible reading is over
-He leaves his backpack to use the restroom during the sermon, conditioning us perhaps??
So it’s not just what to do about work, what do people do as believers? The only way for a true change is for one to repent and turn to Jesus-how can we work towards that while keeping the flock safe?
Just tell your house counsel that you’re hiring a convicted felon because you think it’s the right thing to do.
If they can't be trusted, don't let them out of jail.
“She said it felt as if the bureaucrats had told her: “I was meant to be in the ‘hood, meant to be on government assistance.” “
Nope. She was the one that said, “I am a no good criminal, meant not to be trusted.”
I am also against government forcing businesses to hire her.
Let the employer decide but also make sure that the if the company is "felon friendly" that they are forced to disclose that.
The liability for hiring a felon would be astronomical.
Many felons are not hired because of bonding requirements. As an insurance company, would you bond a felon working in a bank or a service trade where there are many opportunities to steal? A neighbor recently had her opioid prescription disappear while undergoing a house renovation.
Taking this a step further, most felons are not caught on their first offense. Usually there have been a series of offenses leading up to arrest and conviction. Most of these people come from an environment where crime is accepted as a way of life and practiced by their associates. Convicted and sent to jail, their new associates are convicted criminals as well. Used to be a joke that you sent someone to jail to become a better criminal. Once freed, where do most criminals go? Usually back to the same environment that produced them or to a major city where they can get welfare benefits and associate with other career criminals.
Who’s to blame for this? I blame society for a lot of criminal activity because the family unit has been destroyed. Just look at television and movies to see how the family is shown as being irresponsible and dysfunctional. Worse yet, the father has become a joke figure, corrupting instead of correcting his children.
How do we counter a felon record? Maybe we could start by hiring them for lower level public services and offering housing assistance as long as they hold to an acceptable level of performance. Housing assistance should also be given to welfare recipients as long as progress is being made toward getting off welfare, bettering the individual, and maintaining the housing provided in good repair. The goal is to ingrain responsible behavior and goals that should have come from the family.
Headline you won’t ever see, Law Abiding and Unemployed.
Or, If y'all really want to help, take the risk of including a sincere returnee to civilian life as a personal acquaintance, and encourage him/her when things get tough by giving some kind of temporary employment of any kind, or find another friend who will. They may have lost their drivers license, and/or can't afford transportation. Buy a bus pass, or give him/her a ride to an interview. For some, your helpful interaction will never be forgotten. Invite them to your church. But avoid being a sucker or enabler misplacing your compassion.
btt
What happens next? What if we get the law changed, she looks for a job and nobody hires her? Now we have to regulate private employers, so they don't "discriminate" against felons.
Hooray! another victim class to exploit, another headache for business owners, another payday for lawyers...
You can get a job here in California. Employers would not be allowed to ask if you committed any crime. I guess this means more gov’t workers.