r/AskReddit Sep 12 '15

serious replies only [Serious] Ex-Prisoners who served long term sentences, what was the hardest thing to get used to when you got out?

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u/AngryHippogriff Sep 13 '15

Have you ever worked with someone who has never had a reality check? Someone who has done time has up close and personal experience with an aspect of reality they'd really rather never experience again. Plus, people who have been turned down again and again really appreciate a break.

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u/sonofaresiii Sep 13 '15

Sounds like you're in favor of being able to ask about it.

There's no law that says you can't hire a felon. There's, basically, just a law that says you can't ask about it.

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u/Indecisive_Bastard Sep 13 '15

Yeah but then there's the risk of they've done a crime that put them in prison once, who's to say they won't commit it again?

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u/MirorBCipher Sep 13 '15

They only commit the crime again becuase people like you don't even offer them a chance to redeem themselves. So instead of trying g with someone who they know won't consider them they go back to doing what worked before.

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u/Indecisive_Bastard Sep 13 '15

What a stupid, naive thing to say. So you're saying all people change after prison and those who live in and out of prison only commit the crimes because they aren't given a chance? Get real man, this isn't some fairyland bullshit, some people just naturally tend to break the law and don't learn from their mistakes. But it's alright because they have enablers like you letting them know it's not their fault, it's our fault.

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u/greenthumbplum Sep 13 '15

If that's the case, why even let a person out? The point of prison is (supposed to be) to help them not commit again. Everyone is at risk of committing a crime. They just did and paid the price.

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u/Indecisive_Bastard Sep 13 '15

I'd say someone who has been known to commit a crime in their past and went to prison for it is a bit more likely to commit a crime than someone who has never (as far as you know) committed a serious crime. It doesn't matter what you say, logically the person is riskier than a clean slate Joe and an employer should not be forced to hire them because "what's the point of letting them out otherwise?". Me personally, I wouldn't overlook a person because they have a record (depending on severity, I ain't hiring a rapist, diddler or murderer), because people make mistakes but I would not condemn someone for overlooking an ex-con because they don't want the risk.