Would you hire an ex-con?

[FelixDeCat]

I was researching a major pharmaceutical company the other day and discovered that they received over 70,000 applications and resumes in 2007. Heaven knows what it is now, but Ill bet it is well over 100,000. I would presume the majority of these were from people with no criminal record. However:

I keep reading stories in the local paper of employers receiving hundreds or even thousands of apps for even low skill / low paying grunt work jobs that come up every once in a while. A good number of those people people are felons trying to re-enter the workforce. An estimated 150,000 live in DFW out of a regional 5,000,000 people. Other states have more lenient systems whereby a record is only considered for a certain number of years, but in Texas there is no such law so people moving to this state with records and jobs wind up leaving because they cant find work with a felony record.

One example I saw was a woman who said her husband was convicted of grand theft auto and drug posession when he was 19. Now 33 and gainfully employed for over 10 years in another state he couldnt find a job at all in Texas. It was an automatic "no" because theft crimes and violent offenses were the hardest people to reemploy. Large corporations simply have policies and if the state doesnt say otherwise, thats tough.

I think ex offenders should be allowed to prove themselves again, but would YOU hire one?

edit: Title changed to reflect peoples prevailing opinion regarding the previous title, which was overwhelmingly "yes".

 

[venkman]

should they be allowed to work? That's a dumb question, of course they should. You want them to live of tax payer money for the rest of their lives instead of possibly becoming productive members of society. I MIGHT hire one depending on certain factors, 1)the guy is much better for the job than other candidates 2)the crime isn't related to the type of work he'd be doing 3)he isn't fresh out of jail but has some solid experience and references between his release and today. Anyway you slice it, a criminal record is a serious red flag.

 

[SonnyDaze]

McD's and BK are always needing fresh meat.

 

[Newbian]

Well without a job what are they going to do to earn money short of going back to a life of crime?

It all depends on the type of job and the type of crime the person did.

For instance you are not going to want child molesters running ice cream vans.

 

[spidey07]

One sure fire way to make sure they remain criminals is make sure they can't earn any money.

Such a stupid idea. They paid their debt, let them work. If they cause a problem then fire them without prejudice.

 

[PepePeru]

yes, with an 'if'

 

[cheezy321]

i voted no because this is one of the stupidest polls I have ever read.

What else would you want them to do? Go back to committing more crime?

 

[Chaotic42]

Yes, they should have all of the rights of a non-criminal. If they are not rehabilitated after they leave prison, then the prison has failed.

 

[insect9]

WTF kind of question is this? Yes they should be able to work.

 

[marincounty]

Of course they should, where else would Fox news get people?

 

[slayer202]

should they be able to? of course.

would I hire one? probably not

 

[zerocool84]

This is a stupid question not even worthy of a thread.

 

[Newbian]

Originally posted by: zerocool84
This is a stupid question not even worthy of a thread.

Ok, this thread is now about men having sex in the sauna.

Wait a second... :Q

 

[minendo]

Other states have more lenient systems whereby a record is only considered for a certain number of years, but in Texas there is no such law so people moving to this state with records and jobs wind up leaving because they cant find work with a felony record.

Most background checks only go back 5-7 years as it is. I'm in Texas and we only go back 7 years. I recently hired a convicted felon. One of the best workers I have on my crew.

 

[darkxshade]

No they should not. The law abiding citizens free of criminal records should be doing the jobs so they can pay taxes to take care of these unfortunate deviants of society.

 

[venkman]

Originally posted by: Newbian

Originally posted by: zerocool84
This is a stupid question not even worthy of a thread.

Ok, this thread is now about men having sex in the sauna.

Wait a second... :Q

i wish they would stop clogging the drains

 

[OCGuy]

No, we should keep them poor so they commit more crime.


Is this thread serious?

 

[zerocool84]

Originally posted by: Newbian

Originally posted by: zerocool84
This is a stupid question not even worthy of a thread.

Ok, this thread is now about men having sex in the sauna.

Wait a second... :Q

It's so humid in here you don't even need to spit.

 

[SonnyDaze]

Originally posted by: OCguy
Is this thread serious?

serious thread r serious :|

 

[Capt Caveman]

Soylent Green anyone?

 

[0roo0roo]

hand em guns, have them invade/occupy iran. we have an unlmited supply of prisoners.
problem solved.

 

[D1gger]

I have hired many convicted felons who have done their time. Most have worked out fine, although some just didn't stick around.

I have even hired at least one convicted murderer that I know of. He killed someone in a drug deal gone bad. he did 7 years and then I hired him after he was released on parole. He was a decent equipment operator and was worked for me for a couple of years before he decided to leave town.

 

[TridenT]

It depends on their record and the job. For instance: Multiple GTA charges and this person is supposed to be a valet? Idk about that.

But I voted yes.

 

[cheezy321]

ONLY ARCADIO CAN MAKE SERIOUS THREADS!!

 

[thegimp03]

Yeah, of course they should be allowed to work. If they don't work and have too much time on their hands and no money, they will resort to crime. It's a given. I would give them the same at getting a job as someone else who doesn't have a record. Of course, depending on what a person did and what kind of job they're applying for, a background check that doesn't come up clean may stop their chances of getting jobs at certain places.