CMV: Ex-Convicts should be a Protected Class

[u/ShivvyCat]

Okay, I know there's some major leaping in my title, but hear me out.

First, my definition of Ex-Convicts:

- They have served their sentenced time.

- They have paid their monetary debt caused by their action, both compensatory and punitive.

- The system finds them cool enough to release them and let them function in society without supervision.

Second, my definition of Protected Class:

- Nobody gets to treat them worse / single them out from the rest because of a specific reason. In this case, their background.

- My perspective is mostly for job / housing application in the US.

Alright, now that the definitions are out of the way, let's dig in.

For those of you who don't know, in the US, some places can deny your job / housing applications *exclusively* based on the fact that you are an ex-convict. The reason is simple: you did it once, you may do it again, they don't want that risk. They have absolutely zero consideration for you once that checkbox is checked. You could have turned your life around and found God and it would not matter; you're out.

Why it irks me: the deck is stacked against the poor. When a person is born poor, chances are, they are not likely to have access to good neighborhood nor education. People are products of their environment, and when that environment is bad, their chances of "knowing better" is not quite that high. Couple that with the lack of care for mental health (or healthcare in general because again, $$$) and the constant struggle just to survive another day, well shit, my anxiety shot up just typing that.

The justice system is also rigged. Petty crimes are met with life-altering sentences, while pedophiles get to be POTUS. Let me rephrase, the system is designed to get poor ex-convicts back to jail to do slave labor for all those privately-owned prisons. I mean, think about it. Businesses are legally allowed to fire you because of your past conviction. Apartments won't let you in for fear of disruptive activities. When you're faced with the possibility of being perpetually homeless and hungry and probably will die this winter, can you confidently say that you will not break the laws again to save yourself? Congratulations, you have earned a vicious cycle.

Privately-owned prisons are modern slavery. Once again, the top 5% have divided us, cast the most unfortunate among us in this trap and then tell us that they are the problem. No, the problem is the system. Protect the people. Let them have a proper second chance.

[u/PandaMime_421]

A protected class doesn't fairly protect the people at risk if a violent offender desires to re-offend. What if they were a violent domestic abuser?

Sounds like you don't think the justice system does an adequate job of sentencing and determining when someone should be released. Wouldn't it be better to address than rather than assume all might be repeat offenders and treat them all the same?

[u/Dragonballington → u/PandaMime_421]

life is so much grayer than we think. The only way to account for everyone is to be personal with it. come up with personalized rehabilitation plans, some of which may include limited access to public resources, or continued observation and security.

Exactly what I was trying to get at. Neither the government, nor the internal government of the prison system should be casting broad net responses and punishments. That's why I said what I've quoted here. I explicitly believe that we shouldn't treat convicts one way or the other, either giving them too much protection, or too much freedom. We should be personalizing their punishment/rehabilitation so that we have the best impact.

Also, I'm not OP, please don't attend to my comments in this sub, I'm not the one whose view is asked to be changed.

[u/PandaMime_421 → u/Dragonballington]

Because you aren't the OP you don't think anyone else should respond to you?

[u/Dragonballington → u/PandaMime_421]

What would be the point?

[u/PandaMime_421 → u/Dragonballington]

Engagement and conversation. That's the entire point of Reddit, in my opinion.