Today, the CEO of our company received an email from the Arrested Development Foundation (ADF) publicizing their “Project New Vote.” He thought it was a joke (maybe because its name parodies the band Arrested Development), but, with further research , found it was an organization that assists criminal offenders in expunging criminal records, finding employment , and exercising their rights to vote under certain state laws.
I’m not so sure I want any major criminals choosing my next president or voting on propositions that could sway toward lenient criminal laws, but apparently the legislators in 39 states believe they should be given that right after serving their time. ADF has a portal where ex-offenders can find out if they are eligible to vote in their state, which depends on the crime, the time served, and the extent of their criminal records.
I checked out the website at http://www.arrestfoundation.org/index.htm , which argues that there is a great deal of nonviolent offenders or people who have had a run in with the law at some point, but have been rehabilitated. They also state that the way hiring managers deal with background checks is discriminatory to those with criminal records, reporting that most employers make their hiring decision based on the background check before the applicant has a chance to explain the crime or make the case that they have been rehabilitated. ADF also believes that hiring ex-offenders will decrease the rate of recidivism and reduce the overall crime rate.
Here’s my take on ADF’s position…
People who make mistakes pay for them in one way or another and those who truly want to change their lives after crime naturally must try harder than law abiding citizens to get a job. But that is the additional price they pay for the crimes they committed, whether it’s right or wrong. Those of us who have never broken the law should be given preference above those who have. Why should an employer simply trust every applicant with a criminal record and give ex-offenders a chance? It must be on a case-by-case basis and depending on the position in relation to the crime. I wouldn’t hire a two-time thief to run a cash register, for instance.
If you have a criminal record you know is going to show up on a background check, you will have to go the extra mile in contacting the hiring manager and convincing him or her that you are a changed person and deserve a chance at a job or career, but you can feel confident that you have the right to vote (if allowed in your state).
I would advise those with criminal records to go to our MyBackgroundCheck.com newsroom where there are two helpful articles on how background checks affect job seekers and explore other resources throughout the site.
Industry experts, ex-offenders, concerned citizens, and HR people are welcome to post comments to this with thoughts on these issues.