Felony on Your Record? 10 Job Hunting Tips

Plumber casing your house to rob you...

OK, color me dense -- you got me there. :-)

I guess you agree that denial of trades licenses to felons do serve the purpose I stated but you are saying that it really wouldn't matter to you, given the relative value you assign to your worldly goods. I guess it will just have to be those of us in the oppressive majority holding back all the potential plumbers in the joint. (BTW, no personal sarcasm intended toward you, just a little self-deprecating remark about being in the oppressive majority, at least in some people's view.)

Facts about Felons in America

1. There are more than 4.5 million convicted felons walking the streets of the U.S.
2. This year 650,000 felons will be released from prison.
3. Every prison in America offers classes in construction, plumbing, electrical, food service, Lawn Care, etc. The Federal Bureau of Prison (BOP) offers CDL classes.
4. The Supreme Court ruled in 2000 that states could not deny felons a professional license unless the license is directly related to the conviction, i.e. bank robbers can not work in or own banks. Most states ignore this ruling and you need a good lawyer to push for you rights.
5. The Army and Navy both take felons, you have to apply for a moral waver.
6. There are over 250,000 felons with CDLs driving on America’s roads right now. (Some of them are current BOP inmates, escorted and unescorted)
7. A felon can get a security clearance, see 5 above. (it’s not easy)
8. Most released felons that have good jobs are self-employed. (Some own and operate halfway houses.)
9. The Director of The California Department of Corrections is a convicted felon.
10. There are an estimated 10 million un-convicted felons on the looses in the U.S. (75% [2+ million] of Rapist are never caught or identified, DNA helps, but most cases are not reported or no DNA is recovered)
11. The DOJ says the #1 reason for recidivism is the lack of quality jobs. (2 is education, 3 is addiction, 4 is mental health)

“… and the King shall answer and say, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me.” Mat 25:40

About a week after my 18th birthday, I had a serious drug problem and made a bad mistake and walked into a store at one in the morning and stole everything. I was arrested the next day, returned everything I stole, and paid a voluntary restitution. Two years later, and after six months in jail, I can’t get a job. I haven’t touched drugs since my arrest. There has to be some kind of reform on the criminal background check. Not to say jobs shouldn’t run background checks (you can’t have a sex offender working with kids), but I feel like I’m serving a life sentence and there’s no way out.

I agree with your statement: “I guess my real point is, if were going to release them and tell them they are citizens again, we have to have some way for them to be productive.”

My goodness - we help so many other people, the least we can do is help our own!

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