Decriminalization - Expunging Criminal records in Cleveland

[cbelt3]

http://www.cleveland.com/crime/index.ssf...river_home
"CLEVELAND, Ohio — A criminal record can serve as a hurdle for people trying to re-enter the workforce.

About 150 people with records in the Cleveland area got a chance to start from square one Friday during the inaugural Expungement Day, an event hosted by the Cuyahoga County Court of Common Pleas."

I like this. I like this a LOT. People make mistakes, and those mistakes then follow them for LIFE. This lets them get past their mistakes, restart their lives, and be good members of society.

[$tevie]

:agree:

[hal]

The problem is that there seems to be so much competition for jobs. When you're looking to hire, it's EASY say, 'well here's a person that is qualified and managed to stay out of trouble and here's a person who is qualified, but has done prison time.' All things being equal, you go with the 'safe' move.

[max]

hal wrote:
The problem is that there seems to be so much competition for jobs. When you're looking to hire, it's EASY say, 'well here's a person that is qualified and managed to stay out of trouble and here's a person who is qualified, but has done prison time.' All things being equal, you go with the 'safe' move.

It is not as simple as that, hal.
Lets say you want to help a guy out, help him to make the first steps on the right path.
Having done 12 years for murder (early release), all other things being equal, he is actually a much better candidate than his competition. To work as a member of a close coordinated team.
Then his new coworkers find out he did the time.
For murder.

How well does that bode for the teamwork in a work cell production.
Human nature....

[rjmacs]

Luckily, in an at-will employment situation, you don't need to give a reason for firing someone. And being a convicted murderer does not make you a member of a protected class.