Why is it hard for a felon to get a job?

Question

For example, A felon who gets released from prison and wants to turn his life around.

Answer 1

Because of prejudice that exists against them. Many people think that "once a criminal, always a criminal." Of course, that, just like any other prejudice, is plain wrong. How can one expect a person who has paid his/her debt to society to keep on the straight line (i.e. become a law abiding citizen) if they can't earn a decent living. Many ex-cons go back to crime because they feel they have no choice and no other way to earn a living and feed themselves and their families.

Obviously there's people who will never change, but each case has to be evaluated individually. You shouldn't generalize.

Answer 2

Short answer - because he has betrayed the trust of the general public by stealing property, falsifying vital information, or dealt drugs. The crime, deemed a felony, is harsh enough to require prison time. With so many other people looking for work....why choose a felon?

Now....the longer answer - Let’s get to the guts of this issue.

First of all, I AM a convicted felon. I was convicted of a theft after a 4 day trial in 1992. My conviction – a felony conviction with 8 years probation and 30 days in a “half-way” house.

Regardless of my conviction, everyone….EVERYONE….. has committed a felony. The real issue is – have you been caught or not? My mother used to cheat on her taxes in her early 20s. My father used to drive home from the saloons/bars after work. My brother, in high school, used to sell small amounts of drugs to the jocks. Today, he is a lawyer. My college professor admitted to stealing cars as a young punk in the 60s. EVERYONE, one way or another, has committed one or more felonies. EVERYONE. The question is….has everyone been caught? No. Of course not. So some people have the stigma of being “convicted felons” and others, in my opinion, are lucky and get to point the finger as the “felons.”

But whatever….who really cares.

But when it comes to getting a job……don’t play the victim. As a felon, you made someone or something else the victim. Now that your time in jail or probation has passed you by, don’t even think about complaining. You are in this mess due to YOUR actions, like it or not.

Felons get jobs all the freaking time. For a while, after my conviction, I had a slew of jobs –

a.Delivering newspapers from 2:30 am to 5:30 am. ($200 a week)
b.Washed dishes for $7.00/hour every mid-day. ($150 a week)
c.Waited tables as a waiter every evening. ($150.00 a week)

I didn’t sleep much, but three part time jobs paid me $25,000 a year. I didn’t see my wife much, except on the weekends. But I made an ‘acceptable’ living and paid my bills.

After a while, my paper delivery job collided with my dish washing job, so I got a different job during the day – working as a general laborer for Labor Ready ($30 a day).

While working the three jobs, I also applied to numerous job applications in the Sunday paper, on Monster.com and on career builders.com. Every week or so, I would get a “bite.” Someone would call or email with interest in hiring me. I would ask – “What are the requirements? Drug test? Background check? Credit Check?” Most people would say – “Yes, a background check and drug test.”

But, you know what? Sometimes….every now and then, someone would say –

“No….no background check, but we do test all applicants for drugs.” Once I heard that, I would work very, very, very hard to get that job. Eventually, I became an employee of one of these companies.

After a year of working three jobs and sending resumes, I was hired. My salary - $32,000. I said ‘goodbye’ to Labor ready, delivering newspapers….but still waited tables (part time) on weekend evenings. That gave me another $50.00 a week. The extra $200.00 a month is great way to pay for pizzas, sushi, renting videos, buying subway sandwiches, postage stamps, etc.

See? It can be done. It merely takes the continuous effort.

Stop playing a victim. You CAN do it. Never complain or condemn. Pick yourself up, dust yourself off, and get to work.

There are lots of Felons (ex-cons) out there who work every single day. According to the government, there are 15 million of us. Being one of the ‘working folks’is EASY.

Get to work!

David

P.S. – I’m not going to say “Good luck” because I believe that you MAKE your own luck. Don’t ‘have a great day’. MAKE IT a great day.

Answer 3

Because the people don't trust other people who made some mistakes in their life. Probably are afraid too , afraid that those people may make the same mistake again. But I think that the evil ex-con is a stereotype. Depends of what the felon did before prision i guess...

Answer 4

Wow,

Some of you people are real winners. If the felons attorney knew what he/she was doing, they'd petition the court for something called "relief from civil disabilites"

This would then allow them to mark, no conviction of a felony on an application, and continue the process like nothing happened.

Answer 5

Contact your local employment commission. They can usually help.

People deserve a second chance, but you have to earn that trust. Get active in church. Another thing you can do is get involved in some volunteer work, if possible. If employers see that you are making an honest effort to do better, you may have a better chance.

Also, contact your local community college & see if there is any financial aid for people in your situation. It's an oppertunity to better yourself-don't pass it up!

Answer 6

I understand where your coming from, but the crime is an important factor here.

I once took an application from an ex-con that admited all of his theft, robbery, assualt & battery, bad checks, his parole, his years in different prisons, and anything else he did and multiple times.

Do you think he got the job to handle cash by himself?

Answer 7

They have to regain the trust they lost.

My brother is a forman at a window company he has serveral people turning their life around. They are hard workers.

Answer 8

Are you serious?!?! Would you hire a ex-convict work for you. I don't think so. There are some people out there that will so just keep looking. You just have to show them that you've turned your life around not just tell them. Tell them you'll work for free to show them. That'll work.

Answer 9

because most have tatoos all over them and dont know how to act in public and are as.sholes

Answer 10

well, he is paying for his past but can overcome it if he tries