Jobs, education, etc. when your a felon

[NickM357]

Last may (2007) I was arrested for felony charges (I was intoxicated and being loud in front of my house when a cop showed up, not thinking clearly I ran and when I tripped and he caught up to me I scuffled with him to try to get away and was charged with simple assualt on a law enforcement officer x2 (which is a felony in the state I live in now, I should have never left MA) and attempting to disarm a law enforcement officer because I ended up hitting his gun belt). I got sentenced to a year in county jail and served nine months on it and am now serving my two years of probation.

I take responsibility for what I did but the way that society responds to felons who have served their jail time and are released is totally f'ed up. Every day I go through the paper and call jobs to look for employment, as well as look online and go to places where they are taking applications. I have been doing this for months and I have never even gotten a call back. The one interview I got recently I had to tell the person interviewing me that I was a felon at the end of the interview (friends and relatives of mine have said to just leave it out, but that would be dishonest and a violation of my probation) and he said that didn't matter to him. But I still didn't even get a call back to say the job had been filled.

Then I call my university today to check on the application for readmission that I filed and they tell me they are going to have to have a meeting in the second week of August to decide weither they will allow me back on the campus. So I might not even be able to go back to school.

I'm lucky that I have been able to stay out of trouble because my family is fairly well off and I don't have to worry about not having food or shelter. But I need to get a job so I am able to start supporting myself. It just doesn't seem to make sense, we are trying to protect society from crime but then we give no opportunities to those who are released from correctional facilities. Like I said I take responsibility for my actions but I don't know what I would do if I didn't have support, its like some that are released have to choose between going back to crime or being homeless and starving.....

[willy222]

thats crap! sorry to hear that, i dont have no helpful input because i know nothing about America, gd luck with the job hunt

[FlirtfromHell]

I know exactly what you mean. I have actually been convicted now of a misdemeanor in NY state. Some of the applications exclude misdemeanors while others ask of any convictions. I have been filling out applications now for about 2 months and haven't had very many call backs.

I used to be a manager at a retail store in NY, we were advised, though illegal to throw away any applications with convictions filled out .. regardless of the conviction. That used to piss me off so bad but there wasn't anything I could do to about it. It's unfortunate that not many companies will take the chance to help in rahabilitating convicted felons..

You should check with your probationi officer and see if they know of any companies that do hire and help felons. I know there are some companies that have started programs for that... might be worth an internet search too.

Best of luck to you!!

[Rondo]

Originally Posted by NickM357

Last may (2007) I was arrested for felony charges (I was intoxicated and being loud in front of my house when a cop showed up, not thinking clearly I ran and when I tripped and he caught up to me I scuffled with him to try to get away and was charged with simple assualt on a law enforcement officer x2 (which is a felony in the state I live in now, I should have never left MA) and attempting to disarm a law enforcement officer because I ended up hitting his gun belt). I got sentenced to a year in county jail and served nine months on it and am now serving my two years of probation.

I take responsibility for what I did but the way that society responds to felons who have served their jail time and are released is totally f'ed up. Every day I go through the paper and call jobs to look for employment, as well as look online and go to places where they are taking applications. I have been doing this for months and I have never even gotten a call back. The one interview I got recently I had to tell the person interviewing me that I was a felon at the end of the interview (friends and relatives of mine have said to just leave it out, but that would be dishonest and a violation of my probation) and he said that didn't matter to him. But I still didn't even get a call back to say the job had been filled.

Then I call my university today to check on the application for readmission that I filed and they tell me they are going to have to have a meeting in the second week of August to decide weither they will allow me back on the campus. So I might not even be able to go back to school.

I'm lucky that I have been able to stay out of trouble because my family is fairly well off and I don't have to worry about not having food or shelter. But I need to get a job so I am able to start supporting myself. It just doesn't seem to make sense, we are trying to protect society from crime but then we give no opportunities to those who are released from correctional facilities. Like I said I take responsibility for my actions but I don't know what I would do if I didn't have support, its like some that are released have to choose between going back to crime or being homeless and starving.....

Stick whith it man, it will all come good in the end!

[Opi]

I have insurance fraud on my record from back in 2005 and its been 110% impossible, this country is completely fucked but you, and i, will make it somehow