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by cdemerson from Houston, Texas

Last Post 68 days, 2 hours Ago


Ex-Criminals and 2nd chances
May 9, 2008 | 6:39 PM
Category: News
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CRIME. it’s a terrible act that I’m sure nobody welcomes or chooses to be a victim of . Not even the people who commit the transgressions. I’m sure that if you asked a robber would he like to be robbed, or a rapist if he would enjoy being violated, they would say no.

So why do people commit crimes against others when they wouldn’t appreciate a crime being committed against them?

I bet nobody has the answer because when we catch armed robbers who have robbed a bank, do we ask why they did it? Or maybe the drug dealers on the neighborhood corner two blocks from a elementary school… do we ask them why they risk their lives selling poison to another human being that could risk their lives? No, because we probably already know why they are doing it.. For money.. For survival right?

I don’t condone criminal activity. I hate it because, I and others, I love have been victims of theft, assault, and robbery way too many times. However, I also don’t condone prejudice and mistreatment to former criminals who are trying to do the right thing in their life.

How effective is our system if we take a drug dealer put him in jail, a cage that taxpayers are paying every day that we work, put him in there where he will serve a certain amount of time and then be released? How successful can that be when he is released and decides that he does want to make an honest living..

How can he? I mean it’s almost impossible when Texas laws gives local public housing agencies the right to deny housing to virtually anyone with a criminal background.. We’re not talking present criminals, we’re talking about people who have been punished and are now free members of society trying to do right. So that’s blow number 1, no ability to shelter themselves.

What’s blow number 2? Well employment for one. I mean if an ex-con cannot get stable and adequate employment once released from jail what do you think he/she is going to end up doing? A person needs work to survive unless, you, the employer would rather that ex-con live off your tax money.. Something called welfare.. Which he probably wont be eligible for depending on the crime he committed. So that might just spark up an alternative approach he is use to.. Crime.

Lets not stop there however, lets assume this ex-con is serious about change. He is homeless, has no job because of this one felony, which lets just hypothetically say he only has made one mistake. So he decides he wants to go to school. Oops, sorry Mr. Ex-con, federal and state law discourage felons from obtaining higher education… that is if your charge was drug-related.. Trying to get student grants or loans are right out the door. That goes for welfare as well… no food stamps or TANF for you guys…

How successful is an attempt to lower crime rate when there is no assistance for former criminals? If you deny a person work, a place to stay, education, a means to survive, human response is going to be to survive anyway necessary. I think we should give 2nd chances, what happens when that chance is used up.. Well then maybe they should not be out of jail in the first place.

Employment should be offered where the ex-con can not recommit. If you are dealing with a reformed thief, make him rake leaves or pick up garbage. Put them in a position where their crime is not readily able to be recommitted, but don’t not hire them.. That is just pushing them to recommit.

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Member Comments Total Comments: 14
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PBMom read my blog view my photos
May 9, 2008 | 7:06 PM

You bring up very good points. We also need to look at our society because it is what is happening to us on a sociological level that causes crime to increase. If we fix the tree at its roots, then the branches won't be diseased. By trying to fix the branch, you only do a patch-job approach to a problem.
Foehammer read my blog view my photos
May 10, 2008 | 2:09 PM

An interesting topic.

You are very right CDemerson. Working in the apartment industry...I can tell you that felons are instant "No Go's" for 90% of the properties in Houston. And I don't mean just drugs or violent felons. Even down to those felonies such as welfare fraud or forgery. Don't get me wrong...they are still crimes but for me...I always figured that someone with a felony for forgery would be limited to paying rent with credit cards or money orders. Should solve the problem, right? But they are still turned away.

Employment is much the same. I witnessed a person lose their job after a management change because of an old felony assault. He was a member of the current staff for 6 years without incident. A model employee...but was fired because he had something in his past. Sad...very sad.

And education, which is supposed to be the means for a better future, is denied to so many who are trying their best to better themselves.

I don't know what to say about our government. We build prisons and say we are rehabilitating those inside, but to what end? You are right...there is nothing for them but a life of crime outside because society will not offer them the same chance as anyone else to survive.
Texasex read my blog view my photos
May 10, 2008 | 2:35 PM

Kudo's to you..good post!
kagua2 read my blog
May 10, 2008 | 6:19 PM

Yes, it is a good post and very valid.
BayouVixen read my blog view my photos
May 10, 2008 | 6:44 PM

Very good points about ex-cons, I know it's tough for them. But let's also consider one other extremely important aspect to the question: if they hadn't committed the crime in the first place, would they need to worry about finding housing and jobs?

We need to make people -- especially our young men -- realize that one conscious decision to break the law can disrupt your life forever. And I don't support softening that any -- it's a deterrent as good as, if not better than, prison itself.
FYInfo read my blog view my photos
May 11, 2008 | 12:21 PM

The old saying, laws are made to be broken.
If you do the crime, you do the time and that should be sufficient if the punishment is sufficient.
Slap on the wrist is no answer, penalty of death seems to be no answer.
The real answer is education and discipline in the homes and especially in schools.
You can't wear what you want. You can't have what you want should be the attitude.
However, when foreigners flout our laws and are not punished as with illegal aliens, then others will ask, why should I be punished?
Illegals get amnesty, welfare, housing, pensions and jobs.
What's good for the goose should be good for the gander.
Why are illegals brought into such problems ?
BECAUSE IT'S EQUALLY BREAKING THE LAWS OF THIS COUNTRY.
BayouVixen read my blog view my photos
May 11, 2008 | 12:57 PM

I couldn't agree with you more FYInfo, I know you've read my blog and you know where I stand on the subject. Word is now that all the militia groups are planning to actually muster in force and head to the border, that will be interesting!
cdemerson read my blog
May 11, 2008 | 4:07 PM

I thought I should comment to really clear myself on why I wrote this topic. I really love the comments I am receiving about my post.. thing is maybe I should put it this way. Everybody and I do mean everyone.. has broken some law, some rule, some regulation in their life. Whether you got caught is the issue.

For the people who have gotten caught do you really think it’s right to continue to penalize them long after they have done their time to society. No! Mind you, my fellow citizens you have got to keep an open mind. For example, if one of your rules at home was broken by your child you would discipline them, take away their privileges for a certain amount of time and when that behavior changed you would allow them back their freedom to do what ever they liked right? Of course you would. So why not treat ex-criminals the same way. EX.. Is the magic word.. Not present crime doers. I am not condoning as I say again people who commit crimes but those who are remorseful and changed. If you don’t believe in a change. Then why lie about prison being a place of rehabilitation as Foehammer said.

We need to make up our minds… either we believe or we don’t. And if the majority doesn’t believe in change. I say we tear down these prison walls, give taxpayers back our money, and just let criminals do exactly what the hell they are going to do anyway… commit crimes! Understand the bitter irony now! Tsk
FYInfo read my blog view my photos
May 11, 2008 | 6:20 PM

Bayou
Militia groups should be marching on Washington and barge into the luxury suits of those lazy corrupt f_ing politicians who do nothing but enjoy the social benefits and screw the public.

A cancer must be cut away from it's source and congress is the cancer in this case.
This w/end Bush is too busy offloading his daughter to be concerned for the nation's troubles.
As a recovering alcoholic, I assume his toast was with water or Monsanto Chemical growth hormone contaminated cow's blood they call milk

cdemerson
If Obama becomes president then your wishes will come true.
Our Country will look like the movie "Blade Runner" with a dog eat dog thuggery similar to the down town central L.A. riots which let 51 murderers go free for fear of retaliation.

We must show that crime does not pay but I agree it is inhumane to continue punishment once punishment has been served.
I don't suggest being totally free of the guilt but recompense for the victims of the crime as continued punishment which is rarely imposed nor considered.
cdemerson read my blog
May 11, 2008 | 9:36 PM

Hmmm, I see well I would like for everyone to check out my part 2 of this blog. It is my own personal story.

Now this may or maynot change your opinion on the topic. I sure hope it does. Because it will explain indept why I feel the way I do..

Remember this readers.. you never know how much it hurts until you experience it yourself.
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cdemerson

I am a lover of the written word. I enjoy expressing myself with the beauty of imagination. I am a 23, african american female whose dream is to change our society. It is not racial discrimination that I intend to change.. but the prejudice that society has toward the generation X and the mistakes we make. We need change..

Member Since: 5/9/2008


 

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