signalmankenneth
Verified User
I agree, this country did elect a convicted felon as president, so other convicted felons should not be denied employment opportunities?!!
Once a felon, always a felon. That is how some convicted felons say society looks at them, no matter the crime.
Around 19 million Americans have a felony conviction, and at least 79 million has a criminal record, which can mean an arrest, charges or a conviction. But having a felony conviction, whether it involves incarceration or not, can impact your life long after you have served your time and paid your debt to society, felons say.
There is a stigma that sticks to convicted felons even years after the crime, says Bruce Western, professor of Sociology and Social Justice and director of the Justice Lab at Columbia University.
“I think the core content of criminal stigma is that it arouses fears that someone could behave violently or dishonestly,” he said. “That’s kind of what a criminal record is signaling to people.”
Many felons say their criminal records make it harder for them to find jobs. About 30% of people with criminal records are unemployed. But that stigma did not appear to harm former president Donald Trump in the 2024 election. Less than six months after a New York jury convicted him of 34 felony counts of falsifying business records to conceal a hush money payment to a porn star, Americans voted to return Trump to the presidency.
“The president-elect, he contested the legitimacy of court action against him from the beginning,” Western said. “And I think his supporters, a lot of them found that pretty credible.” In a poll after the trial, 83% of Republicans said they felt Trump’s conviction was politically motivated, with just 17% saying it was not, according to an AP-NORC survey.
Trump’s crimes are considered white collar, which are usually nonviolent and often include fraud and corruption, according to the FBI. White collar crime “isn’t thought of as threatening in the same way as street crime, and high-status white offenders are not as burdened by criminal stigma,” Western said. “It doesn’t hurt that he (Trump) is an older White man who is extremely wealthy.”
Restrictions on convicted felons vary from state to state. In some states felons are ineligible to vote, unless specific requirements (as in Trump’s case) are met. Felons also can face restrictions on their ability to freely travel, serve as a juror, get a loan or qualify for public housing. In some states, felons can no longer hold public office.
Western said his research shows that stable employment is crucial in helping felons avoid returning to crime. But while convicted felons can eventually find jobs, “it’s really at the bottom of the labor market,” he said. “It’s minimum-wage work, and there’s no wage growth in that kind of work.”
CNN spoke to six convicted felons and asked them about their struggles, their hopes and how they feel about President-elect Donald Trump. Some expressed frustration at a perceived double standard that led many voters to apparently overlook Trump’s criminal behavior, while others are hopeful that Trump’s political resurrection may ease the stigma that they and other felons face.
https://www.yahoo.com/news/convicted-felons-trump-elected-president-110043435.html
Once a felon, always a felon. That is how some convicted felons say society looks at them, no matter the crime.
Around 19 million Americans have a felony conviction, and at least 79 million has a criminal record, which can mean an arrest, charges or a conviction. But having a felony conviction, whether it involves incarceration or not, can impact your life long after you have served your time and paid your debt to society, felons say.
There is a stigma that sticks to convicted felons even years after the crime, says Bruce Western, professor of Sociology and Social Justice and director of the Justice Lab at Columbia University.
“I think the core content of criminal stigma is that it arouses fears that someone could behave violently or dishonestly,” he said. “That’s kind of what a criminal record is signaling to people.”
Many felons say their criminal records make it harder for them to find jobs. About 30% of people with criminal records are unemployed. But that stigma did not appear to harm former president Donald Trump in the 2024 election. Less than six months after a New York jury convicted him of 34 felony counts of falsifying business records to conceal a hush money payment to a porn star, Americans voted to return Trump to the presidency.
“The president-elect, he contested the legitimacy of court action against him from the beginning,” Western said. “And I think his supporters, a lot of them found that pretty credible.” In a poll after the trial, 83% of Republicans said they felt Trump’s conviction was politically motivated, with just 17% saying it was not, according to an AP-NORC survey.
Trump’s crimes are considered white collar, which are usually nonviolent and often include fraud and corruption, according to the FBI. White collar crime “isn’t thought of as threatening in the same way as street crime, and high-status white offenders are not as burdened by criminal stigma,” Western said. “It doesn’t hurt that he (Trump) is an older White man who is extremely wealthy.”
Restrictions on convicted felons vary from state to state. In some states felons are ineligible to vote, unless specific requirements (as in Trump’s case) are met. Felons also can face restrictions on their ability to freely travel, serve as a juror, get a loan or qualify for public housing. In some states, felons can no longer hold public office.
Western said his research shows that stable employment is crucial in helping felons avoid returning to crime. But while convicted felons can eventually find jobs, “it’s really at the bottom of the labor market,” he said. “It’s minimum-wage work, and there’s no wage growth in that kind of work.”
CNN spoke to six convicted felons and asked them about their struggles, their hopes and how they feel about President-elect Donald Trump. Some expressed frustration at a perceived double standard that led many voters to apparently overlook Trump’s criminal behavior, while others are hopeful that Trump’s political resurrection may ease the stigma that they and other felons face.
https://www.yahoo.com/news/convicted-felons-trump-elected-president-110043435.html
