Jackson mayor wants to exclude felony disclosure on job applications
- Thread starter Garriga
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I sorta agree. When I ran the Homeless shelter we had to get them to get a criminal record check...I stopped asking because the best workers I had , had criminal records. I can see it with vunerable people such as children...the workers should be checked for child abuse,etc.
Many of those jobs usually require a background check anyway...
And when the checker is somewhat related to the checkee...
And when the checker is somewhat related to the checkee...
...that "tag" does derail the purpose of reintegration....good men and women are being passed over because of something stupid they did...but stringent background checks WOULD be necessary to ensure the repeat felons and sex criminals never get a shot....
They do this in California for state jobs. I think it's a good idea. Every applicant still has to pass a background check, but giving people with a criminal record a chance to at least interview, is a good idea.
A lot of jobs here you cannot get without a clean record...that is my beef. Some folks have committed one crime and have to spend the rest of their lives paying for it. If you go to jail, is not that paying the price. I would not give a murderer a job or a pedophile but someone who shoplifted five years ago....hell, yes!
...a lot of our murderers are our best inmates...the crime was truly one of passion, and they have no reason to re-offend....
I have to disagree on this one. Should felons be automatically discounted from being considered, no. But I want full disclosure from an applicant for a city job. Background checks are not foolproof and a criminal past often does not show on the routine background checks.
...agreed Dog, and nobody here is arguing the disclosure point, just that it shouldn't immediately whack someone from getting a job....depending upon their conviction of course...our state offers some vocational training, but like anywhere else-it's tough to get employers past the stigma of "convict"...
A former coworker of mine who used to be a cop (and before that, Army prison guard) said, and I agree, that convicts have paid their debt to society, once out of prison. Further penalizing them is unfair as well as counterproductive. If we want to ensure that people will remain outside the law, committing criminal acts until they die of old age (or what have you), I could not conceive of a better way than making it impossible for them to get jobs doing legal things. They have to eat, just like everyone else.
It would be interesting to know how many repeat offenders tried to "go straight" but ran into roadblocks doing so and ended up back behind bars.
It would be interesting to know how many repeat offenders tried to "go straight" but ran into roadblocks doing so and ended up back behind bars.
...there is a certain contingent that loves being in prison...but most want to get right with the world.....
Neesy
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I agree that there are people who have criminal records who are unfairly excluded from obtaining employment. Being a firm believer in second chances, I think that employers should sometimes cut some slack. You can usually get an idea of a person's character when you talk to them and sometimes gut feeing goes a long way!
The way I understand it, is that the employer won't ask the applicant to disclose until the first round of interviews. When the first interview happens, then they'll have the applicant sign a form detailing their criminal record.