I have come to really experience the challenges of the ex-felon and have been trying to overcome the obstacles that everyday "Joe Taxpayer " fails to understand . I went to prison for a 6 year term for 2nd Degree Assault at the age of 25 . Not to say that I wasn't within my rights to protect myself when attacked by another but , I found myself at the mercy of the court in which I was blind to at the time . Now here I am 17 years later and have a hard time getting a "foot" in any door . I live in Washington State and have for the past 6 years....I have held some great temporary positions that without the felony on my record , could have been benificfial to me and my family . Many companies have a 10 year policy but, that does not mean that you are eligible for employment after the statue of limitations for that company is no longer in effect. I currently am a student taking an correspondence cource that my mate of 10 years and 2 kids later pays for out of her pocket because I am not eligible for any type of grant or student loan to persue my education , and later find that it will be of no great benefit to me because of the violence in my convicition which bars me from working in this type of field. The law needs revision as well all felon coming together to make it happen .