Posted on 06/29/2016 4:43:22 AM PDT by Kaslin
Just got out of jail? Odds are that within five years, you'll get caught doing something illegal and go back to jail.
This is bad for ex-cons, their victims, their families and America.
Some of these people, of course, are career criminals who ought to stay in jail. But most are people who deserve another chance. They are more likely to stay straight if they find work. Work gives people purpose. It fills the idle hours that get many people into trouble.
But America makes it extra hard for ex-cons to find work. Some states make it illegal.
Illinois bans ex-convicts from more than 118 professions.
I understand why people might not want ex-cons to be bank security guards or cops, but in many states (Illinois isn't unusual) the list of forbidden jobs goes way beyond that.
The Illinois Policy Institute, a free-market group that tries to get these laws tossed out, reports that ex-cons must give up on trying to become a nurse, architect, interior designer, dancehall operator, teacher, dietician, acupuncturist, cosmetologist, buyer of slaughtered livestock, geologist, etc.
Why? Who cares if a livestock buyer or geologist once served time? If employers want to hire him, why tell them, "No"?
When Lisa Creason was 19, she tried to steal from a cash register at a Subway sandwich shop. She says she only stole because she needed food for her baby. Creason was caught and arrested, and she served a year in jail.
Twenty years later, Creason graduated from nursing school. But when she went to take the test that would allow her to get a nursing license, she learned that because she was once convicted of a "forcible felony," her career path was impossible.
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."
This is not a good message.
"Lisa is a great example of someone who has changed her life," says the Institute's Kristina Rasmussen on my TV show this week. "She is reformed. She wants to be a productive member of society." It has been 20 years since Lisa committed her crime, "but government gets in the way of her pursuing her profession."
The good news is "this year we got a bill passed and it will go to the governor. So there is hope for Lisa Creason."
It's hard to get rid of bad laws. It happens one reform at a time.
No one says that crimes these convicts committed don't matter, but punishing them forever doesn't help. Rasmussen says, "You went to jail, you paid your debt to society. Coming out, how are we going to treat you? Are we going to deny you work that keeps you and your family out of trouble ... deny you that opportunity, and you turn either to a life of crime again or dependency?"
Why do states have so many restrictions? "There are two forces at work," says Rasmussen. "One, government bureaucrats like being busybodies, deciding who gets to do what." They think that makes the world safer.
But there's another factor. "You have people who don't welcome competition," says Rasmussen. Existing businesses and unions don't like newcomers on their turf. "Who's easier to kick out of the pool of potential competitors than people just emerging out of the criminal justice system?"
Existing businesses -- the insiders -- fund politicians who pass rules that make it hard for newcomers to compete with them. The politicians convince themselves that their rules protect customers. But mostly, their rules protect the insiders.
But some competing businesses want to hire ex-cons, and when that works out, it's good for the businesses, their customers and the ex-cons. A Chicago suburb diner called Felony Franks hires only ex-felons, its policy being "that once a person has paid their debt to society after being convicted of a crime, that he or she should have the same rights and opportunities as others."
Of course, some ex-cons can be trusted while others cannot. But it's important to let employers and customers make those calls -- not a controlling, insider-protecting one-size-fits-all government.
No that is not the case today. Hair dressers were using home brew preparations which burned the scalp, others resulted in complete hair loss and chemicals were used which were highly carcinogenic or which contributed to organ (liver) failure.
It was a huge scandal when I was a child and it was scary. Regulation was the right thing to do and it should remain in place.
I understand what you are saying: if we didn’t have our young children with us, I would be less cautious. But when you have a sex offender whose target age is the same as your daughters, you get very protective. We are also such a small congregation, less than 40 a Sunday, no one is anonymous.
Mohammed leaves promptly after service so it’s hard to chat.
Let me guess. You are a lawyer." But your honor, they only killed one person! It's not like they made a habit of it."
Human nature doesn’t change but repentance is possible. Its a biblical teaching.
So is "by their fruits shall you know them". I am a fruit inspector.
Then there is a difference between career criminals and people who genuinely deserve a second chance.
Sure there is. That is why I say there should not be a law against hiring such people. I also live on planet reality and know I have a right to be informed if a company I do business with hires such people.
I am the one who should decide how much risk I am willing to take.
NIMBY kicks in...
that is part of the problem in how to deal with these types of issues.
When I was 16, my old man was an idiot. I'm pleased with how much he's learned since then. :-)
I don’t see any “downside” to a real-life test of your concept. If one such “town” works, then we can start a PROGRAM.
I guess that, for some, the “downside” would be that there few opportunities for graft if only one such town is built.
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.
Or giving you a shave.
I think he meant that the fact that ex-cons re-offend within 5 years is bad for their future victims.
Malignant people target nice church people. Nice church people are willing to forgive and overlook a lot of stuff. Church is one of the places where you most need to be on guard because in amongst the good people are many evil people who are specifically there to target the naive.
A quiet, almost secret is that the US has an increasing number of “geriatric prisons”, exclusively for older prisoners, along with two prisons for prisoners in need of long term hospitalization.
So I imagine the first of these trustee towns would be for those who are older but still able to do some work.
LOL! I’ve always thought that the best ages are 4 and 16. When you are 4, you know all the questions. When you are 16, you know all the answers.
Yep. Exactly why is is good to ask a lot of questions of new people who show up at church. The same would go for a VFD or any other community organization which tends to attract good people.
btt
Ever see Sweeney Todd?
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...
Hi NorthstarMom. I am normally a lurker, but your story really hit home with me. I was in a similar situation in that we were in a small church that was very focused on helping addicts. As a leader, I was complicit in the “Let’s be so compassionate that our brains leak out of our heads” faction. I regret it. My family paid a price. Fortunately through a lot of prayer and counseling, we’re all good now (15 years later). Having said that, I want you feel comfortable questioning leadership.
Your pastor has a good heart, but is not tending his flock. Those that are called to put themselves in harms way do so under a very specific call from God and He honors that. Those that put themselves in harms way who may not be specifically called by God to do so (for His glory) are foolish. Those that put others in harms way are evil or misguided (hopefully the latter) and must be challenged.
I am now a member of a church that still does a lot of outreach, but is very cognizant of safety. Quite a few of us carry concealed during the service with the full knowledge and encouragement of our pastor. I would suggest that you (or another member of your church) do the same and ensure that someone is sitting BEHIND Mohammed until it is well established that he is a committed Christian. I am not insinuating that he is not, but it would be foolish to ignore current events. There is no need to confront him unless his behavior becomes overly suspicious, but a little alertness goes a long way. God gave us both a heart and a brain and asks us to use both!
God Bless you and your family!
FYI: Bill Warner is a brave man who knows Islam. He and his wife have devoted their later years to teaching others about the political aspect of Islam. He stated in one of his recorded messages (the one in Chattanooga) that the “pulpit” in America is wide open for infiltration by Islam. He almost pleads with us all to educate ourselves regarding their prophet so we can engage and educate others.
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC0Uu4XnRS1hiz3JCpNFIuUg/videos
May God bless and keep you.
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