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I agree with you completely that it creating an unemployable criminal underclass is a terrible idea. The problem is that society's best interests are at odds with the best interests of each individual enterprise. If a hiring manage has a choice between someone law-abiding and someone with a serious crime in their past, the person with the clean background is going to get the job every time. It makes perfect sense on a person-by -person basis, but extrapolated across society it causes some very ugly situations. It is sort of an offshoot of the Tragedy of the Commons--everyone as a whole is better off when former offenders are employed, but no individual business wants to make the sacrifice of offering said employment.
Unemployable criminal underclass! Welcome to the NEW America. This is what's happening. Look at the de-criminalization of marijuana in some states. Well, the Feds still consider it a crime in a lot of places- and that spells jail time and loss of jobs for many Americans who assumed they'd be just fine under their own state's laws.
Here's another gem- employers see arrests...not just convictions! Case in point: I know a girl- a really down to earth, very trustworthy and religious girl - she was shopping in a department store with her best friend. Her "best friend" (yeah right) was a thief. They were both detained- even the Nice Girl stole nothing. Nice Girl's case was tossed out- there was no conviction. Guess what? That arrest- er- "detainment" happened in 1998. And she can't get a job and it is now 2014. Nice Girl cannot get a job as a Home Health Care Aide making 9 dollars an hour because of this "criminal" mark on her record that showed up on a police fingerprint check (these are required in order to work in the health care industry) Can you imagine?? This person was not guilty- no conviction- but now can not find a DECENT job ever again.
Is this fair?? THIS is what is happening now- and with the new national database (states info used to be accessible by each state individually, now is nationwide) minor infractions such as this that used to be hidden are easily accessed by potential employers. This is a travesty.
Maybe *they* are starting a new form of identity- those with "marks" against them and those who were able to afford good attorneys. The "baddies" won't be able to travel, get a job to support themselves, drive or do anything. They will be slaves to the system and be forced to accept government handouts.
There are some industries which don't care about felonies - construction is one. Why don't felons band together and form legitimate companies that deliberately hire felons?
Because even they know thats asking for trouble lol
Unemployable criminal underclass! Welcome to the NEW America.This is what's happening. <snip>
Maybe *they* are starting a new form of identity- those with "marks" against them and those who were able to afford good attorneys. The "baddies" won't be able to travel, get a job to support themselves, drive or do anything. They will be slaves to the system and be forced to accept government handouts.
Unemployed criminal underclass, unemployed college graduates, unemployed middle-aged, and unemployed 'senior citizens' who are advised to wait longer in order to receive a higher amount of benefit.
Yes indeed, welcome to the NEW America and the powers that be are nowhere near done...not by a longshot.
I'm not well-versed on the subject, but couldn't this young woman see about getting this expunged from her record? I believe each state has their own policy about this.
It really depends on what kind of felony it is. BUT -- if an employer asks if you've ever been convicted of a felony, you must tell the truth. Don't EVEN consider lying -- it's not just your credit report that your potential employer will check out.
All employers do not reject a convicted felon automatically. It often depends on what kind of felony and how old it is. For instance, if you have a felony for drugs, you'll [probably never get into any job in the medical field.
There are organizations that help convicted felons get jobs. If you PM me, I'll give you some of the names. I also will need your location.
Two professions that don't care about felonies (unless you have a lot of felonies): electrician and plumber. They both takes some schooling. Takes about 8 years, with school and apprenticeship -- but -- as soon as you complete school (and even before you complete school, I believe), you can start looking for someone to hire you. You're not going to get rich until you complete your apprenticeship -- but THEN you'll get rich.
Employers automatically rejecting anyone with a record has never made any sense to me. I've already explained many times why the practice makes no sense and is counterproductive. But in short, it creates a class of people who are forced to be repeat offenders of whatever they did by not giving them a mean to support themselves. The whole point of our incarceration system is to change the person hopefully for the better and then reintegrate them back into society. Automatically denying employment of anyone/everyone with a record is a medieval practice and needs to stop.
Yes I agree with this for the most part but also depends on severity, recency, and frequency. If someone has a felony or misdemeanor over five years ago and it was just once there should be a permanent one time removal of there record, and no I don't mean an expungement or sealing. There are quite a lot of great articles on employment and desistance.
Suuuuure it is......you want criminals handling your money at the bank? You want child rapists teaching schools? Babysitting?
There is a reason background checks are done.
This is the problem and relates to the post I responded to from rosie. If we automatically label them as criminals after there very first crime, they will likely persist in a life of crime. A lot of crimes are simply crimes of convenience and/or desperation. Nobody is 100% good, nor 100% bad.
Employers automatically rejecting anyone with a record has never made any sense to me.
you got two people apply for a job, one with a record one without, which would you hire. the bad thing about felony, you knew it was wrong before you did it.
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