Restore rights to ex-felons

I HAVE BEEN A CONVICTED FELON FOR 12 YRS. NOW AND HAVE NOT BEEN IN TROUBLE SINCE I WAS 18. I AM NOT ASKING FOR A MIRACLE TO HAPPEN, BUT JUST TO RECIEVE MY RIGHTS BACK CONSIDERING THAT I WAS SET UP TO BEGIN WITH (BY FRIENDS).I WORRY MORE AND MORE EVERYDAY (WITH THE ENCONOMY GOING TO HELL) HOW CAN I PROTECT MY FAMILY WHEN I HAVE NO RIGHTS TO ANYTHING. IF ANYONE HAS ANY SUGGESTIONS IT WOULD BE GREATLY APPRECIATED.

I was convicted of a violent felony when I was 18 years old. I went to jail, got out and got a labor job. A few years later I got married and had a few kids. I went to college and got my degree and decided it was time to get a better job. I worked 50 hours a week and went to school at night. Then transferred to a University and got my degree. When it was time to apply to jobs, I saw people who had no work experience and got lower grades than me get good paying jobs. I got offered about 5 jobs, all of which they took back once my background check went through. I didn't lie to them, they asked if I had been convicted in the past 7 to 10 years, and I responded "no" because it had been more than ten years. It didn't matter, they still took the job back. Luckily I got on with a company that must not have done the background check, but Im getting paid way less than I should or could. After reading this I realize Im one of the lucky ones but what happens when/if i lose my job? I have a wife and three kids. When my family is hungry, or doesnt have a place to live, do I just explain to them that its not their fault, its daddys fault because he was dumb kid and got in trouble when he was 18. Will that feed my kids or put a roof over their head. Fuck no! I did everything that was asked of me! I was out on bail and turned myself in to jail. I did my time and when I got out I stayed out of trouble. I went to school and got my BA. I got married and paid taxed and raised my kids as well as I could. But if I lose my job when the next round of layoffs come around, and no one will hire me because I have a felony I wont be able to feed my children what am I supposed to do. Im not going to watch my family live on the streats and be hungry because I screwed up as a teenager. They should have left me in jail or killed me instead of letting me out and telling me that if I do everything right I can be a productive member of society agian. You dont want to hire me because I messed up as a kid...fine. But know this, I will do whatever it takes to take care of my family. Rob, steal or kill, my children will eat. You dont want to hire me, fine.....but I will take care of mine.

Unfortunately, I'm also an exfelon.In 1978 I got myself caught up in the "revolving door " Which resulted in me being incarcerated 3 times, for crimes I could'nt afford to prove my innocence. Therefore, I took lesser deals to keep from doing a lot of time,guilty or not. I've been out now for approx. 15 to 16 years. I'm 53 now and I don't blame anyone for my stupid thinking, even though alcohcol was my downfall. One day I decided that I was tired of that life style, and worked on growing up to take responsibility for my actions. So first I enrolled in a GED class,then a trade ,then a college. All of which I've completed successfully while in prison.
Now I need a job, Dont get me wrong I 've had jobs in past but recently the job I had went out of business and it's very hard to obtain another job because of past history of bacground checks. Most jobs i'm applying for to me should be attainable.Warehouse worker, security guards, delivery jobs and the list can go on and on. It should be some law that allows a person with multiple past crimes get jobs that they qualify for or have experance/ training to perform professionally.Any assistance on this matter please E-mail me @ sir_zackery@yahoo.com. THANK YOU!!!!!!!!!!!

Here are some ongoing bills
http://www.opencongress.org/bill/111-h2153/show
http://www.opencongress.org/bill/111-h1529/show

spread the voice out my fellow american's

This always seems to be the "answer" to our issues of having a felony on our record. Do you really seriously think that if it were that easy we would be here right now reading this information we have been so whole heartedly waiting for? Do you really think for one moment we would bother asking people to be so understanding? Ask yourself this, are you the same person you were at the age of 16?..22?...25.? I am a 33 years old, who made a mistake at 18. No matter how much education I have, I am still looked down at in the eyes of most people as a criminal even though I served my time, did probation, and paid my court restituition! I am a loving married mother of 3 wonderful children who watch their mother hurt over mistakes I made in the past. At what point do we finally say,okay..you paid the price?
Lets pretend it was you for a moment, or your daughter or mom or brother, that you knew in your heart of hearts you or they were a different person, but people do not know you and judge you becaus of a paper that just printed out on their computer desktop. We are Gods children. If Christ our savior can forgive us, why can't humans?

I too committed a felony at age 16 and was charged and convicted for it at age 18. Now I'm 29 and I can't get a job. Recently I worked for 4 months for a company through a temporary employment agency. The company liked my strong work ethic and pro-active approach and decided they wanted to hire me as a full-time employee. They had me fill out an application and when they saw that I had committed a felony they fired me immediately.

Was there people trying to convince me at 16 that I should do the right thing? Sure there were. The only problem is that I WAS A CHILD. Kids do stupid things. Even adults do stupid things. I've been a law-abiding, hard-working member of society for all these years, even going so far as to spend 16 months volunteering in a community help program of my own volition just because it seemed like the right thing to do. But when I try to get a job so I can have a roof over my head and a meal to eat suddenly I'm the bogeyman.

Look, I did the crime and I did the time. Thank God I was given the opportunity to get straight because I was a messed up kid and I didn't know how to cope. But what's the point of rehabilitation or even of jail time if once you're out nobody will allow you to take part in society?

So here's my suggestion. To put someone in prison for a year costs the state over $23 thousand. (www.sagepub.com/upm-data/14873_Chapter9.pdf) the cost of a bullet is a little over a nickel.

Since obviously I wasn't smart enough at 16 years old to listen to the people who were telling me to do the right thing why don't you shoot me in the head?

I was convicted of a felony back in 2000. My conviction was on the grounds of self-defence. The court wasnt willing to place the blam in the proper direction because the person in text was in the local Nation Guard. He broke into my house an assualted me i defended myself and I in turn went to jail. The system does work to keep bad people off the streets but, what of us who try to do the right thing even after our conviction? I am facing the rest of my life with a violent offence ahnging over my head. I have been attending classes to get my Dental Degree only to find out I will not be accepted into the program. How can we become a part of society if we are frowned upon before we are given a chance to show our true colors. Since Ive been released I have gotten married and i have two daughter that depend on me to do the right thing by them. How can I do that if the same laws that protect me are also holding me back. Where do we go from here?
Thank you

Ricky L. Hall
Pikeville, KY

Please do write your article. My son is on probation for an offense. He is not not guilty, but he pled guilty rather than face a trial. I could not afford a lawyer at the time. Our dilema now is that he cannot find employment, must work on probation and knows that even when his probation is over he will forever be descriminated against due to a felony conviction. Sure takes away motivation! This is killing me to watch him feel life is hopeless. You sound articulate enough to write an article. Please do .

Sandy

I am one of those people who in the past has done some things that I am not proud of. Twelve years ago in December I got clean and sober, went back to school to receive Bachelors degrees in Social Work and Sociology, an Associate degree in Criminal Justice, and a Certificate in Drug and Alcohol Counseling. Although I have accomplished so much in the past 12yrs I am still overlooked when it comes to employment. I have two felony charges, several DUI's and numerous disorderly conducts. When my FBI background came back I did not know this person I was reading about, she no longer exists. While going to school I was very fortunate to have an employer who was also in recovery but he owned a towing company which I ran for 9 years and since I graduated I have not been able to find employment in my field because no one wants to hire a felon. The towing company closed a month before I graduated. I am struggled to raise a child during this time and I am very proud of the job I have done. He is awesome!!! After graduation next year he is going into the Marines to fight for our freedom. I cannot afford to send him to college so he is doing the next best thing by finding his own way to receive a college education. I am so proud of him. I have taken civil service exams only to be turned down when interviewed, because of my past. This is a very unforgiving country. I beleive there should be a limit (10 years) of how long these things can be held against an individual. I totally agree with "no understanding" that when someone is held down for this long they tend to feel they have no choice but to return to their old ways. I know that using a chemical is out of the question, I have no doubt that it would only cause more pain. I cry daily because I feel like such a failure even with all the education I have acquired I cannot find meaningful employment like other people. I pray each night and every morning that God takes this prejudice from peoples hearts so that, anyone who has come back from hell only to find they are not much better off than they were using, people like me can rejoin the human race.

Sir,

I feel your pain, but while you were commiting or about to commit your crime was there people surrounding you trying to convince you of the conseqences of your actions? Try to understand other people feelings who did not decide to turn to crime to get ahead. Now you should stop blaming others for your mistake and take control of your life and get back into the race by doing research. Do everything that is legally available to you.

We are all now at a disadvantage for survival , they are trying to starve us to death ,cant get a job at Mcdonalds! we should start a group , and gain our God given rights by all means necessary , we are all fucked regardless , we have to band toghether and show thease fuckers that this world is not for them only , we can share it toghether or we can fuck it up for all. need to start something right away .
lets organize a do or die movement.

I am a current law student was thinking about this topic today on my way to work. It seems to me "punishing" those that have already "repaid their debt to society" is a form of double jeopardy.

Look below at [3] from U.S. v. Halper

DOUBLE JEOPARDY - Being tried twice for the same offense; prohibited by the 5th Amendmentto the U.S. Constitution. '[T]he Double Jeopardy Clause protects against three distinct abuses: [1] a second prosecution for the same offense after acquittal; [2] a second prosecution for the same offense after conviction; and [3] multiple punishments for the same offense.' U.S. v. Halper, 490 U.S. 435, 440 (1989).

I am considering writing a journal article on this very topic.

it's all about economics, supply and demand, there is more people than there is good jobs so they use it as an excuse to stick it in your bumbum.

I agree alot of good folks are suffering in this country. I live in Savannah Georgia and it is just as bad in this region of United States. I have two older brothers who desire to live and descent life without the struggles of having to survive in country who goals in my opion is to suppress particular races. I was a little boy when i first learned of felon actually having a chance at getting back into society and earning a living. As I got older over the years that chance has entirely diminished. I am 28 years old now. i now look at the united states of America somewhat in the saame way foreigners do. I feel this whole judicial system is the biggest hippocrate ever and the polictions, judges and those of that nature. Why is it that a person is disciplined under the law of the land and then stamped as a person who is not worthy of makeing a descent living to help in the raising of their children. The best example to me to deter a kid from commiting crimes, is to be able to confide in someone who has walked in those shoe and make it out to be a model citizen. This situation will not turn around if people don't start now and never let up fighting for the rights of minorities and those who been prayed on. this law process is designed to keep the poor poor and make the rich richer. We all know this by now. So lets stand up and fight. Our ancester did, which is how times evolved thus far. What happen to peacefull protesting. We need to get get back to those days.

information on feloey law varies from state to state. The only way we can make any head way is to band together into a voting block and change the laws themselves. not all felons are bad people just people in a bad situations. Those who get burned once and learn should have a way to redeem themselves with time and effort.

I believe that once you have served your time and completed probation, a felon's rights should be restored to that of any other citizen in this country. You have paid for your crime and shouldn't be punished for the rest of your life. I have never been convicted of a felony but two of my sons have. They have struggled so long trying to get ahead. For many years they have worked hard, not had so much as a traffic ticket, tried to be good citizens, go to college, etc., but doors continually get slammed in their faces.

We all make mistakes in our life especially when we are young. Life is learning from those mistakes and bettering ourselves through them. People mature and change and most learn from their mistakes. A felony should not have a life-long sentence attached to it.

I'll read the rest of the replies after I send this. I saw something about a petition and will sign it. Can someone tell me if there are any other sources I can contact to try and get something done about this problem? Are their any organizations that I can support who are advocates for felons? Thank you.

with us ex-felons getting the right to vote in most states we need to band together and become combined voice. we need to change the laws where a single felony conviction would be completed removed from your record and ALL right including firearm rights returned so completely that you could even be eligible for concelled handgun permits

Society has spat on me for some 20 odd years. I even went so far as to go to college and get a degree. I graduated with a 3.83GPA. I was on the National Deans List for 3 years. I was a member of the Gamma Beta Phi Honors Society. I became a student employee at the college in the tutoring office, tutoring my fellow students and whoever else I help. At my graduation 6 students from my class came and thanked me for 'carrying' them through college and helping them understand. They have excellent jobs at this time. What do I do? I repair garbage trucks that come pick up your trash. I' m in debt $60,000 for an education I cannot use because I committed a crime some 20 odd years ago. How's that for the blunt harsh reality of society? Hey, I do what I can and I keep going, I have nothing else. But for society is blind to anyone that makes a difference. They are too busy telling you what to say, how to look, where to live, how to dress, what to eat, what to think, and basically how to conform to their views. What happened to individuality? Aren't we all unique and beautiful creatures? Why should people we don't even know, society, be able to dictate what we should be?

We teach our children to dream and strive to become what they want to be. Then as they get older, society starts beating them up with all these conditions and standards. It's a wonder anyone makes anything out of themselves. The sad reality is that usually if your born in a poor neighborhood, you will usually die in a poor neighborhood. Very few people ever get to change their stripes. You've heard the saying, "one in a million"? well there you have it. Society is callous, discriminating, blind, and full of idiots! sorry, had to say that.

Some discussion and Ideas on What Ex-Felons And Their Families Can Do To Start An Ongoing National Grassroots Movement To Persuade Politicians to Revamp and/or Eliminate Employment Laws That Legally Allows Employment and Housing Discrimination Against The EX--Felon Population

The Ex-Felon population for many years have been legally discriminated against after returning home from prison making it very difficult for them to attain competitive livable wages, decent housing, and credit due to the current Employment and Housing Laws on the books that allows employers, and landlords to legally discriminate against the Ex-Felon population. This Ex-Felon Disenfranchisement has existed for many years. Now, .I believe it’s the right time that Ex-cons and their families begin come forward and together to form a strong National Grassroots Movement Initiative to persuade our elected officials across this nation Including President-Elect Obama to revamp and/or eliminate current laws that allow legal discrimination against Ex-cons.

Employers are allowed to discriminate against Ex-Cons in hiring practices due to acts like “The Negligent Hiring Act”, where an employer can be held liable and ultimately be sued if an Ex-con whom the company hired commits a crime against a co-worker while on company time, including many insurance companies discourage employers from hiring Ex-Cons, because if they do, the employer would have to pay higher liability insurance premium. “The Fair Credit Reporting and Consumer Acts” allows for employers to conduct back ground checks on prospective employees to discover whether or not they have a criminal and/or bad credit record in making final hiring decisions, landlords and creditors are also allowed to conduct background checks too in making tenant, and credit granting decisions. Now even private citizens have access to criminal records disguised as taking Public Safety protection measures. with such laws on the books, employers and landlords are scared to hire or or give tenancy to Ex-cons in fear of being sued by their employees or tenants if an Ex-con commits a crime against them.

“The Negligent Hiring Law” needs to be eliminated in order to prevent co-worker, and tenants from suing the employer or landlord due to crimes committed against them by Ex-cons, let that Ex-con pay for his or her crime alone, not employers, or landlords, because employers don’t want to hire Ex-cons if they risk being sued sometime down the road, and the same for goes for landlords they don’t want to extend housing to Ex-cons if they risk being held responsible and sued for allowing Ex-cons who committed crimes on their properties against another tenant, put that Ex-con back in prison, but don’t immediately prevent him or her from ever attaining decent housing after release from prison and call it proactive public safety measures, that’s why many Ex-cons has gone back into a life of crime due to lack of hope and despair, because of the lack of employment opportunities and decent housing. These current laws that allow Ex-felon disenfranchisement has done more harm than good, Ex-cons become again a burden to tax payers instead of tax payers because they go back to prison and the states and federal government prison systems have to take care of prisoners as long as they are incarcerated.

I believe if these laws I mentioned earlier where revamped and/or even eliminated all together, more ex-cons would become tax payers instead of tax burdens; causing the prison populations across this Nation to be reduced by large numbers and percentages, because Ex-cons would be given better opportunities to turn their lives around and become productive law abiding citizens, and it would also reduce crime and reduce public safety concerns, because Ex-cons who want to work and be productive will be too busy working to be out in the streets re-offending and possibly going back to prison.

Ideas I have came up with to form a Felon Employment and Housing National Enfranchisement Movement” across this Nation. This Movement must be Federalized in order for it to be successfully observe red and enforced standard bases in every state, town, and city across America:

1. All Ex-Felon and their family members should begin “The Ex-Felon Enfranchisement Movement” by writing letters to all State and Federal Elected Officials persuading them to begin changing Laws and Acts that allows employers, land lords, and creditors to discrimination against Ex-Felons, including making any and all changes to these laws and acts retroactive to include all living Ex-Felons who are not currently incarcerated. This movement is about real “Second Chances for all Ex-Felons to successfully integrate back into American Society after incarceration.

2. Persuade our Elected Officials to band employers, landlords, creditors, and the general public. access to criminals records, and only allow law enforcements access to such records.

3. Persuade our Elected Officials to pass laws that would demand that law enforcement delete Ex-Felon Records from all public databases 5 to 7years after incarceration and living crime free.

4. Form taskforces across this nation in every state to advocate on Ex-Felon’s behalf persuading our Elected Officials on an on-going bases to revamp and/or eliminate acts and laws that allow Ex-Felon discriminations in all areas of society after incarceration.

5. Persuade Elected Officials pass laws making Ex-felons a “Protective Class” from all discriminatory activities in this Nation, which should be included in the Civil Rights, The Second Chance Act, and the EEOC laws.

6. Persuade Elected Officials to automatically return all our Civil Rights back to us after losing them due to being an Convicted Felon after 5 to 7 years of living crime free.

Ex-Felon Disenfranchisement should no longer be tolerated here in America, it’s high time that all Ex-Felons and their families come out of hiding the shame and embarrassment of having a Felony and stand –up and be counted on to help form a Grassroots National Movement that would allow all Ex-Felons to be normal respected law-abiding tax -paying citizens in our society once again. There’s power in numbers, and if we band together, we a have a better chance of being heard by our Elected Officials, and we can possibly get some things changed all across America that would approve our chances, hopes and dreams of attaining competitive employment, livable wages, and decent housing, something that Ex-Cons have struggled to attain for many years due to the legal discriminatory laws and acts on the books directed towards the felon population that’s holding us back from being successfully integrated back in to society after our incarceration. This is also legal double jeopardy against the Ex-felon population and it needs to be strongly addressed and eliminated once in for all.

If No representation for our population, then we and our families should no longer vote against our best interest. "No Equal Representation, Then No Vote" should be our population's model if politicians fail or refuse to equally represent us while in public office,. we are now a large segment in American society and if Politicians want our votes doing election season, they must be willing earn our votes. In many States are now beginning to get it, that we’re also becoming a valuable commodity doing election time, that’s why various State Politicians are changing Ex-Felon disenfranchisement laws in many States so that we can help tip the scales for a particular candidate, So now we are beginning to have a voice, doing election time.

Something needs to be done right now about how the Ex-Felon and Offender populations are being legally treated and discriminated against when it comes, to attaining decent Employment, Housing, and Bank Credit for many years by this same Society who calls this “The Land Of The Free and Equal Opportunity, is the same Society that is keeping our population in bondage called “Legal Civil Disabilities” long after we have paid our debts to it.
I believe after one has served their time and paid their debt to society and the law, We should be given a second chance to integrate back into American Society to become taxpayers instead of tax burdens, including becoming law abiding citizens again, no matter whether one's crime was a Violent or Non-Violent Offense, the Second Chance Act that was signed into law by former President Bush does not go far enough to integrate all Ex-Felons and Offenders back into American Society upon release, this bill mostly caters to Non-Violent Offenses; especially Drug Offenses, Well they also fail to realize that many Violent Offenders, and Sex Offenders included are released from Prison too on Parole, Probation, or Served Their Time Out, these offenders need support systems and given a Second Chance too.

In my opinion, a Convicted Felon is a Convicted Felon no matter what charge they where convicted of, all Felons who are released back into the General Population should be given an Equal Second Chance to successfully integrate back into this Society, what's the use of releasing Non-Violent, Violent Ex-Felons and even Sex Offenders from prison and when they come home are not able to get decent jobs housing etc?, they may as well stay locked up and continue to be a tax-burden on the tax-payers, it would be more economical and safer from both a financial and public safety standpoint for Society to help all Ex-Felons who are released from incarceration, parole, probation to attain livable wage jobs, decent housing, etc.

An "Ex-Felon Movement For Positive Change" should be started now by Ex-Felons their family memebers and friends, this movement's focus should be about appealing and lobbying to the Obama Administration as a collective group along with other Pro-Felon Organizations as the ACLU and other Human Right’s Organizations to Encourage and Persuade President Obama and the US Congress to change and/or eliminate all Felon-Related Laws, including Sex Offender Laws that are really Un-Constitutional, Pro-facto, and Punitive in nature disguised as taking public safety proactive measures to protect Children from Sex Offenders that are not really working and just a waste of tax-payer money to help make the Politicians look good at election time deceptively showing that they're tough on crime, Federal, State and City Ordinances that legally allow Employers, Landlords, and Financial Institutions to discriminate and prevent all Ex-Felons and Offenders from attaining the necessities of life that's very much needed in order to successfully survive in everyday American-Society.

I also believe after time served by all Felons, and Non-Felons, all Public Databases should be sealed from the General Public, Employers, Landlords, and Financial Institutions, only Law Enforcement should have access to Arrest, Misdemeanors, and Felony Records, and after 7 to 10 years of being crime free, One's Conviction Records should automatically be destroyed from all Public Databases, including all Law Enforcement's Databases, then that's when a Ex-felon or Offender has totally been allowed to successfully integrate back into American Society with no strings attached or a bad past that allows Society to continually treat as Us Second Class Citizens.

Ex-Felons should be made to become 100% US Citizens, after leaving the legal system, treated and respected like US Citizens again as well, fully be allowed to successfully integrated back into American Society with full Civil Rights restored and made a protected Class just like African Americans and People With Disabilities for example, including with no Civil Disability strings attached to them, I call that 100% integration back into American society.

I am 34 now, when I was 16/17 years old I got into trouble with some friends and got 4 Felony charges (as an adult). I went to prison and spent 5 years on a 10 year BE&L charges. I got a GED and worked construction for a few years and so forth. To make a long story short I have managed to work my way all the up to a 6 figure salary IT jobs. I have an excellent work record and am well known for my intelligence and technical skills.

I have been denied jobs, housing and everything because of something that happened 20 years ago. I just moved across the country for a job only to get fired. I worked 3 days and was let go this morning because of my past; even though I was up front about everything from the start. This after being laid off for the last 3 months, so my savings are now gone. I am going to lose everything I have worked my entire life and I can't do a thing about it because of something that happened when I was a minor. This is just a legal form of discrimination to use this as the sole reason to not rent to or hire someone.

They need to have a limit on this, say from the date of last conviction 7-10 years (like credit). If you have a conviction then all of them can show up but if you go 10 years without getting into more trouble then it should not show up since the person is making an effort to clean up their life. But no one cares, politicians have no reason to address the issue because in most state Felons can't even vote...

I have your stories and I am very sad mother whose son is prison right now. He serving one year and will be on parole for one year. He studying to get his GED and he so excited. What I been reading doesn't look like society is not going to give him a chance. The way I am looking at this, the system is set up for felons to fail. How I'm I going to tell my son he going to pay for something he didn't even do for the rest of his life. The only thing I could say to all is believe in God to ease the pain you all are going through and your love ones.
It a shame our political people can get away with all their wrong doings. What I don't understand then why are study courses given to prisoners if they don't have chance on getting a job. Isn't that a waste for a tax payer. I believe in giving everybody a chance, we make mistakes. I am so sad for all exfelons who are trying to be a better person.

Your story is just as sad as mine: I worked hard all my life. I have never been arrested or been in any trouble with the law. In 2001 my home was raided by the Police and i was arrested and charged with a class C felony - Promoting Gambling. My crime: Having a home craps game (sometimes poker) with my friends every weekend. What made it illegal was the fact that i collected $10 from everyone to pay for food & beverages. If it was potluck, it would have been legal. The amount confiscated from my game was whopping $2,500. That's tens of thousands of dollars less than was spent investigating and prosecuting me. The judge denied my attorney's request for a deferral (if i stay out of trouble for X years, the felony will be wiped from my record). I see "real" criminals being granted deferrals all the time. People who have hurt someone or stolen from someone. My crime had no victims. I did not hurt anybody. I did not steal from anybody. There were no drugs or firearms involved. I was fined $10,000 and sentenced to 5 years probation. My probation is long over and of course i've never been in any trouble since. I am now a convicted felon for life. Fortunately my employer doesn't care about my conviction. He only cares that i am a good employee. My right to vote was re-instated after my 5 years probation, but i still am not able to own a firearm. Being labeled a convicted felon sometimes makes me feel like a criminal.

Fair Slate is a Non Profit Organization. Our organization was created due to a void in fairness when it comes to people who were convicted of a felony and fulfilled their debt to society. Currently people with Felony criminal records, regardless of how far back in time they occurred are seen as outcast or not seen at all.
Fair Slate does not believe that our society is being fair about this since in many cases people have committed felony offenses and just so happen to have good lawyers to get them off. That being said, we have decided to try and do something about it.

First some facts:

* There are approximately 20 million people in the US with Felony criminal records.

* There are approximately 1 million new Felons created every year

* Some studies have shown that if an ex-felon is going to go back to crime it is usually within 3 years of release.

* Many employers do not know that there are several levels of felony classes A-I.

* Many employers are fearful of hiring felons because they don’t understand and don’t try to.

* Ex-Offenders come in all job skills, shapes, sizes in colors. Any job that can be done there is someone with that skill who has a felony criminal record.

* When a person is constantly denied privileges such as a job or a place to live they will eventually find a way to get by and that way may affect you or a loved one.

Fair Slate believes everyone has value so our organization seeks out those ex-offenders with marketable skills and works with specific employers to get them jobs. If that option does not exist then we ask employers to help with training in return for free labor and if that option does not exist then we put high caliber ex-offenders together to create their own businesses under the guidance of the Fair Slate Organization, then when they have proven that they can maintain the business it is completely turned over to them. We have enterprises that are operated, managed and run by ex-offenders. We also get employers to train in the latest technology.

Fair Slate also understands that if it can gather up those ex-offenders who can now vote that there is power in numbers and we would have significant voting power to get some of the laws changed.

Just visit the site and send your information. We have a voice we just need to use it.

I love you guys because the truth of the matter is we are brothers and sisters under the same stigma. What I have been frustrated about which is a resounding theme is our lack of equal rights. Boys and Girls this is a results of old Jim Crow believe me I have been monitoring our issue for the past 15 years. I would like to have a Petition signed with hundreds of thousand of us to change these laws. My understanding is it starts at the State level. I am from NY and my main concern is criminal background checks!!!!!!!!! How can we EVER be equal when we can not take care of ourselves? Low class jobs for the low class people?
Lets get a petition together and we can PERHAPS get a group like the 'Sentencing Project, Legal Action Center, or the Brenne Institute,' to help us.. The only way this shit is going to stop is if we take matters into our own hands, give me feed back and I will start a web group and create a petition...My issue begins with Criminal Background Checks...There has to be a limit how far back private organizations and these background checking organization can go... 5 years, 10 years etc. give me feed back!

I am in the same boat... I have given up hope and don't care about my life anymore.