We have received several telephone calls with respect to our proposed, “felon work force.” Almost all of the comments have been favorable. As a result, one of our consultants has spent the week talking to prospective employers, and ferreting out their feelings with respect to hiring former inmates. I confess that many employers have clearly demonstrated a negative reaction. On the other hand, several responses to our inquiries have been favorable.
It was the opinion of our consultant that the current state of our enonomy plays a huge role with regards to those employers who indicate they will not hire felons. The response is universally the same, “why should I hire a felon when there are so many qualified people looking for jobs and who are not possessed with a negative history.” Our consultant attempted to pose logical arguments in favor of hiring the felon. In most instances the arguments fell upon deaf ears.
Curiously, if I had to pick segment of the market that was most opposed to hiring felons, it was the large retailers, i.e. Walmart, CVS, Home Depot, and Kohls, who posed the strongest objections. The retailers were followed by a few of the national supermarket chains in terms of level of negativity . The service industries for the most part maintained an open mind, as did the technology employers. Many government entities were surprisingly receptive, depending upon position applied for and nature of offense. I would be remiss if I didn’t mention that the US Army will accept certain felons for enlistment now.
Although the results are really mixed, I believe they are sufficiently encouraging to take the project to the next level. In that regard, we are instructing our Lawyers to consider the legal ramifications, and requirements of structuring such an enterprise.
Tags: bureau of prisons, county inmates, department of corrections, discount phone service, employment, federal bureau of prisons, federal inmate, federal prison, felon, hiring, increase inmate jobs, inmate, inmate lookup, inmate pen pals, inmate penpals, inmate search, jail inmates, job pool, jobs, prison state, Prison transportation, prison web sites, skilled workers, state prison, Tansportation to jails, Transportantion to Correctional institutions, transportation to correctional institutions, transportation to jails, transportation to prisons
To give some background, I’m a convict, however no felonies. I’m also an alcoholic in recovery. I would like to submit a theory on why those who have a record resort back to crime or/and addiction.
As far as my experience, I have always worked my way up from the bottom ( from bank teller to bank manager, from customer service rep to sales coordinator, notary to loan agent) It’s not important as to why I became an alcoholic. My new found ambition is to provide awareness of the inability of convicts to obtain employment and hence their resort back to crime to survive.
This economy is particularly difficult as employers have no incentive to hire anyone with any criminal background with the many other applicants sufficient to meet their needs (even if they don’t have the qualifications) versus those with a criminal record.
Many Department of Corrrection Facilities offer GED assistance, resume assistance, etc. A resume and a high school education does not assist many who exit the prison system. There are little known incentives for businesses to hire ex-offenders. Another note; More than 50% have convictions related to addiction issues, and the repeat offender percentage is even higher.
It is a fact that those who enter the jail/prison system leave with little than a bus pass and what they had upon arrest.
While I know there isn’t much sympathy for ‘us’, I would submit that many are diligently trying to overcome their addictins and make a fresh start. Playing devil’s advocate, just contemplate the following;
You’ve had a very rough childhood, suffered abuse and parents with addictions.
You determine you are going to succeed! Wow! You are so proud of what you’ve accomplished with no college but by your determination and abilities alone you are making 50K a year!
Years later, somehow after being so successful, you feel inadequate, get involved with drugs or alcohol. Get arrested a few times. Now with all your achievements, they are made null by your criminal record.
So, you’re losing it all, have a record, spent time in jail and really now appreciate freedom and want to get back on track , diligently looking for work. Every application with every name brand company is going to check your record. Take it from there and you can see why ‘criminals’ can be discouraged and end up back engulfed in their addiction. I choose to fight it and look for support. Email jomccray@yahoo.com with your input, pro or con.
You Can be Redeemed; Hope
JoMcCray@yahoo.com
To give some background, I’m a convict, however no felonies. I’m also an alcoholic in recovery. I would like to submit a theory on why those who have a record resort back to crime or/and addiction.
As far as my experience, I have always worked my way up from the bottom ( from bank teller to bank manager, from customer service rep to sales coordinator, notary to loan agent) It’s not important as to why I became an alcoholic. My new found ambition is to provide awareness of the inability of convicts to obtain employment and hence their resort back to crime to survive.
This economy is particularly difficult as employers have no incentive to hire anyone with any criminal background with the many other applicants sufficient to meet their needs (even if they don’t have the qualifications) versus those with a criminal record.
Many Department of Corrrection Facilities offer GED assistance, resume assistance, etc. A resume and a high school education does not assist many who exit the prison system. There are little known incentives for businesses to hire ex-offenders. Another note; More than 50% have convictions related to addiction issues, and the repeat offender percentage is even higher.
It is a fact that those who enter the jail/prison system leave with little than a bus pass and what they had upon arrest.
While I know there isn’t much sympathy for ‘us’, I would submit that many are diligently trying to overcome their addictins and make a fresh start. Playing devil’s advocate, just contemplate the following;
You’ve had a very rough childhood, suffered abuse and parents with addictions.
You determine you are going to succeed! Wow! You are so proud of what you’ve accomplished with no college but by your determination and abilities alone you are making 50K a year!
Years later, somehow after being so successful, you feel inadequate, get involved with drugs or alcohol. Get arrested a few times. Now with all your achievements, they are made null by your criminal record.
So, you’re losing it all, have a record, spent time in jail and really now appreciate freedom and want to get back on track , diligently looking for work. Every application with every name brand company is going to check your record. Take it from there and you can see why ‘criminals’ can be discouraged and end up back engulfed in their addiction. I choose to fight it and look for support. Email jomccray@yahoo.com with your input, pro or con.
You Can be Redeemed; Hope
JoMcCray@yahoo.com
Submitted comment-error message
To give some background, I’m a convict, however no felonies. I’m also an alcoholic in recovery. I would like to submit a theory on why those who have a record resort back to crime or/and addiction.
As far as my experience, I have always worked my way up from the bottom ( from bank teller to bank manager, from customer service rep to sales coordinator, notary to loan agent) It’s not important as to why I became an alcoholic. My new found ambition is to provide awareness of the inability of convicts to obtain employment and hence their resort back to crime to survive.
This economy is particularly difficult as employers have no incentive to hire anyone with any criminal background with the many other applicants sufficient to meet their needs (even if they don’t have the qualifications) versus those with a criminal record.
Many Department of Corrrection Facilities offer GED assistance, resume assistance, etc. A resume and a high school education does not assist many who exit the prison system. There are little known incentives for businesses to hire ex-offenders. Another note; More than 50% have convictions related to addiction issues, and the repeat offender percentage is even higher.
It is a fact that those who enter the jail/prison system leave with little than a bus pass and what they had upon arrest.
While I know there isn’t much sympathy for ‘us’, I would submit that many are diligently trying to overcome their addictins and make a fresh start. Playing devil’s advocate, just contemplate the following;
You’ve had a very rough childhood, suffered abuse and parents with addictions.
You determine you are going to succeed! Wow! You are so proud of what you’ve accomplished with no college but by your determination and abilities alone you are making 50K a year!
Years later, somehow after being so successful, you feel inadequate, get involved with drugs or alcohol. Get arrested a few times. Now with all your achievements, they are made null by your criminal record.
So, you’re losing it all, have a record, spent time in jail and really now appreciate freedom and want to get back on track , diligently looking for work. Every application with every name brand company is going to check your record. Take it from there and you can see why ‘criminals’ can be discouraged and end up back engulfed in their addiction. I choose to fight it and look for support. Email jomccray@yahoo.com with your input, pro or con.
You Can be Redeemed; Hope
JoMcCray@yahoo.com
Submitted comment-
Are there any places that give free records for inmates without having to co to the court?
What is really being missed from state to state inmate searches? Is it just a problem if the inmate is in the middle of being charged with a new crime or moving to another location?
How many prisoners records can you retrieve for free or must you always pay? Is there a source for a new PI?
Correct me if I am wrong, don’t people get sent to prison to PAY for their crime? When they are released, it means they paid their debt to society for the crime. Why shouldn’t they get a chance to start over again? Doesn’t mean you have to give them the keys to the vault in the store. There are plenty of jobs in every company where they can start, when they show they are responsible and trustworthy, then they can be given other responsiblities and job duties. Most felons just want to be a working member of society. Unfortunately no one wants to give them that chance. As a society, we are forcing them to return to crime since they can’t get jobs to support themselves.