Re: Felonys, Misdemeanors, and Background checks....

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On 12/09/06, PATRICK H SKALANDIS wrote:
I totally agree with you John. I lived in Fla for about 5 yrs
during my young adult life, 19,20. I will try to get to the point
without boring you with too much information.

I was put into an uncontrolable situation that led to me getting
into trouble with the law and getting charged with a felony. The
guy that I thought I loved did a lot of sh*t that I didn't know
about. Needless to say I went down with him and the fall was hard.

Up until this point I had never been in SERIOUS trouble with the
law. Sure I got the occasional speeding ticket, or wrote a hot
check or 2, but NEVER anything beyond that.

I basically got into trouble because I trusted the wrong person.
That was my "mistake!!" The court didn't care that I was not the
one who had committed the actual crime, they didn't care that I
had never been in trouble with the law, in fact looking back on it
now, I don't think that the cops evened took into consideration,
or een cared about the affect that this would have on my Adult
life that I now live.

Now, I find myself trying to explain this to employers. It's like
they don't even hear me. They don't even care about the fact that
I haven't had any convictions in the last 20 yrs. They just stop
listening to me once I say that I was convicted of a felony 20 yrs
ago.

I know that I am a good person, and I have a good heart. It just
really hurts that I have this cloud of lighting hanging over my
head that is following me for the rest of my life and when I am
out there looking for a decent job so I can take care of my kids,
it rains on me every time.

I have even sent an email to the governor of the state. Do you
really think he replied? NO! He didn't.

Did you know that if you write a hot check over $500/ the law
considers that Grand Theft, which is a Felony. Does that mean that
we should not trust that person, because we think they will steal
something? I don't think so. But Employers will do the opposite.

There are too many uncontrollable circumstances out there that
could affect all of our lives in very different ways.

I just pray for a safe environment to raise my kids in on a daily
basis, And I pray for a second chance, to be able to have a normal
life with a good paying job that I can feel good about(even though
I am still looking and haven't had ANY luck) and not have to worry
about the rain soaking me too much along the way!!! :0)

Sincerely
Liz

> On 7/13/06, DALE LEE SHATTO JR wrote:
>> On 7/04/06, John wrote:
>>> Here is my opinion about criminal background checks. If a
>>> person has made a criminal mistake in their past and paid
>>> their debt to society, they need to be set FREE (Truly
>>> FREE) and not oppressed by society for the rest of their
>>> lives and continually held accountable for past mistakes.
>>> I AGREE.
>>> A criminal background check (employment, housing, etc...)
>>> on an ex-offender only serves to oppress and discriminate
>>> against these people based on their past mistakes. If
>>> they have paid their debt to society, then LET them go
>>> FREE! Truly FREE!
>>> I AGREE
>>> Everytime an ex-offender cannot find work, housing, or
>>> licensing for a profession and better way of life...he or
>>> she is placed in a desperate life situation. Depression
>>> and Anger fills them. If this person finds him/herself
>>> without hope of a better future or any future for that
>>> matter, then you can most assuredly expect the CREATION of
>>> More criminal activity, more hatred towards an unforgiving
>>> society, and a SKYROCKETING repeat offender RECIDIVISM
>>> rate in our national prison systems.
>>>
>>> If ex-offenders cannot find decent work, housing, or a
>>> better life after their release...what GOOD is their
>>> FREEDOM..???? What good is their life! SET THEM FREE!
>>>
>>> GIVE Ex-offenders BACK their rights to live! Stop holding
>>> these people accountable for the rest of their lives for
>>> past mistakes (not a damn one of us is perfect or has
>>> never sinned), and give them the TRUE FREEDOM to better
>>> their lives without fear of the oppression and
>>> discrimination that comes from looking into their
>>> backgrounds and holding this against them for the rest of
>>> their lives. How UTTERLY RIDICULOUS and WHAT A TRAVESTY!
>>> That is NOT JUSTICE, that is OPPRESSION! And when hope is
>>> finally lost in the souls of these ex-offenders, you are
>>> CREATING Criminals, NOT rehabilitating them!
>>>
>>> You think about that!
>>>
>>> Judge not and condemn not, lest YOU be judged!
>>> The merciful shall obtain Mercy!
>>>
>>> There is a higher power to listen too and obey than the
>>> biases of mankind and His name is God Almighty whom this
>>> nation was founded UNDER.
>>>
>>> FREE those who are wrongly being continually oppressed and
>>> give the Lord a mightly flood of justice and mercy towards
>>> those in trouble, in need of help, and who are poor.
>>>
>>> I am pissed off and angry as hell at what I see going on
>>> around me with ex-offenders and with myself.
>>>
>>> Unless things change, society is going to see an EXPLOSION
>>> of criminal activity, until rights are restored to
>>> oppressed and discriminated ex-offenders!
>>>
>>> The whole sitaiton is PATHETIC and I am deeply ashamed!