Criminal Checks Present Hiring Barrier For Minorities

[Beaconowner]

Originally Posted by andrea3821

I sincerely hope you are just exaggerating. I might be able to afford bail depending on how much it is, but I definitely can't afford rehab or some big shot attorney.

Money doesn't make a big difference in the outcome of your case...check out Casey Anthony's verdict.

Also, for example, anybody who is a drug dealer may have a significant amount of money, whether black or white. They can certainly afford whatever is thrown at them.

I still cannot see how you are saying it's racial when it's clearly not. Don't be a criminal if you don't want a criminal record, that's the bottom line.

There are very few things in America that don't involve race on some level. Prison, and who goes there for how long, certainly qualifies.

I know you don't believe money can affect your case (seriously?) but for some facts to chew on try reading "The Crime of Being Poor" by Paul Wright, and then get back to me.

The fact you can afford bail is a big plus. It means you can still work and do so many things that those in jail awaiting trial can't. Which is why all lawyers will try to get bail set.

If you have medical coverage you can afford some level of rehab that is light years beyond what the poor can afford. Did you know that the typical person in prison prior to incarceration had an income of $8,000 (guess what it is when they get out?. That's if they were employed. Many more are unemployed when they are arrested.

You don't need a big shot attorney, just a competant one. If you really think that you don't have a better shot at staying out of prison for the same crime than a poor person does, than you need to do more research, because you don't have to listen to me, the truth is out there.

Casey Anthony's case has been a circus since the beginning, it is hardly a typical case. Also, it has been shown that having cameras in a court room definately affects the outcome (usually better for the accused). Again, research is your friend.

Just because someone is a"drug dealer" doesn't mean they have a lot of money. Only the big distributors have the kind of money that you think you are talking about. Most dealers that get caught are street level dealers. They make a living, but not much more than that. If they have any money, cars or homes, their assets will have been confiscated by the police or the DEA when they were arrested. So no, being a "drug dealer" doesn't give you a leg up on other people in court.

Unbelievable!

[Beaconowner]

Originally Posted by JazzyTallGuy

You make a good point.

And I'd be tempted to ask somebody like this "In light of your past history would you be willing to submit to random drug testing?"

Part of having a criminal background is that it create credibility issues for that person.

Can I trust this person?

Can I depend on this person?

Will this person put my company in a position were some sort of liability occurs?

I think this is the biggest reason a lot of businesses pass on convicted criminals. They just don't want to take the risk of something bad happening that puts then in a vunerable position for hiring a known convicted criminals.

What if they say yes, will you hire them?

Sure credibility issues are an issue with having a record, but even if someone doesn't have a records you still may be just hiring someone who hasn't been caught yet. You see once you go down the fear trail, things get crazy. Don't go there.

Do you think this person doesn't know they have to prove themselves?

Do you think they really can't wait to get out of line so they can go back to jail?

Do you realize that they may be on parole and that their PO needs to see them employed or they could go back to prison? Sounds like a good incentive to be a model employee.

Do you think this person wants to crate problems for you which will rapidly create much worse problems for him?

Can you honestly say that your employees that don't have a record (that you know of) that you can trust them, depend on them? What do you really know about them?

I've only been hiring people for 30 years and included in that is having the opportunity to go to prisons on my own time for a few years speaking to prisoners about the realities of the job market. So what would I know?

[HappyTexan]

Well gee, who would have thought that committing a crime, getting caught and found guilty and then doing time in prison MIGHT impact future job prospects ?

So "unexpected"......