One of the hardest parts of release for felons is to encounter jobs that will allow them to enter society. Many employers make a criminal record check mandatory, and as criminal charges and convictions are public records, it is incredibly easy for prospective employers to deny employment due to an individual’s criminal record.
There are many speed bumps that felons can encounter, employment, relationships, living arrangements, and transportation to name a few. While many people label felons as dangerous, many have served their sentence and are ready to become productive members of society, outside of the penitentiary.
Being Refused for Jobs Leads to Greater Rates of Reoffense
People who have been convicted of crimes, done their time, and been released can find it incredibly difficult to find employment opportunities upon release. This is an ongoing issue that leads to reoffenses, as people try to escape their prior lives and cycles of crime, but find it hard to re-enter society due to the stigma that follows their criminal records. Many employers will not hire convicted felons, and this makes it difficult to lead a good life once released and finding jobs for felons is only one of many hurdles they face upon release, from employment to housing, to certain social assistance that can affect not only the felon but their spouses and children as well. While many of these felons have served their time and are trying to reintegrate into society in functional ways, they encounter many roadblocks after release.
How Can Felons find Help and Productive Employment?
Programs are available that can help with work placement jobs for convicted felons, however, these programs are few and far between, with only limited availability for ex-convicts to apply. While these programs are functional and impactful, there are not enough employers willing to offer second chances to those who are followed by a criminal record.
While this challenge is faced by many, it is becoming more of an open issue, and many employers are beginning to change their hiring policies, opening doors that used to be closed to felons, parolees, offense and convicts. As the world becomes more aware of social justice issues, more programs are being developed and more businesses and corporations are changing their views on hiring felons.
While many people may comment that felons have made a mistake and deserve this treatment, criminal records do not only include convictions. Many people who have been charged with a crime, but not convicted, can find this affecting their employment status. While someone may have a criminal record, the circumstances surrounding their stories are unknown and that is why it can be harmful to judge a prospective employee solely based on their criminal record.
Social Programs for Reintegration and Employer Attitudes are Changing
The employment obstacle is just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to the many problems faced by felons upon their release, but it is one of the most important. Nothing in this world is free, and people need food to eat and a safe place to sleep; all of this comes at a cost. Without Gainful employment, many felons feel forced to re-offend, especially after being rejected from many jobs.
While prisons have programs inside for education and preparation for re-entry, these programs can not fully tackle the stigmas and stereotypes that will follow ex-convicts throughout their lives, After release employment programs are a great step and are available to help, by offering jobs to those convicts who otherwise would remain unemployed or worse re-offend to make ends meet.
Ex-convicts can find employment by ensuring they are applying through these partnership programs, or by researching the company hiring policies before applying. By ensuring that the company one is applying for accepts people regardless of criminal record, felons can reduce the number of rejections due to record, and instead seek and gain employment on their own merits.
No matter the offense or the person, ex-convicts, pardoned people, or those who have had their charges dropped deserve the same opportunities in life, if they have been rehabilitated. F|elons have paid the price for their crimes, the criminal justice system is there to ensure that. It is socially unjust to continue their punishment after they have done their time, but this can be how it feels with constant employment rejections.
By researching employers and applying for suitable jobs through programs or companies that hold no anti-felon hiring policies, ex-convicts can have an easier and more uplifting experience while trying to become efficient and law-abiding members of society.
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