Definitely an interesting article, one that some what appeals to my fear of both the criminal justice system, as well as our country's typical attitude. We, as a nation and perhaps even as a species, have substantial issues admitting when we are incorrect about something. For a number of years our criminal justice system has been struggling to find the fine line between what we consider "too strict" or "too lenient" of punishment. Although I do not know what the correct solution is, it is easy to tell by the statistics given in this article that we are currently doing this "peace officer" job poorly. As our professor repeatedly mentions, we are all human; we all make mistakes. But sadly, the criminal justice system has dug itself an enormous hole that, again, we are too scared to say was our faults. In the mean time, I guess we can just keep blaming marijuana. CK003
CK003, You are exactly right about our nations typical attitude towards admitting when we are wrong and are criminal justice system with punishment. To me personally I think our criminal justice system takes punishment way too far. For example local cops escalating situations to a whole new level by their actions. Then when it comes to our nations attitude, depending on the situation; I think that's where discrimination come in to help the system decide on what type of punishment to give an individual. Referring to the statistics in the article as well. Shows that our criminal justice system lacks the ability to help the criminals with their desires to commit crimes. So I totally agree with you 100%. K9003
I agree completely with you about how the Criminal Justice System is not the way it should. Marijuana is not the problem on why the crime is the way it is. There are other crimes that law enforcement need to focus more on, like drinking and driving, or texting while driving because those actions are putting other citizens' life in danger. Locking people up in jail cells for having marijuana is the least of the police officers worries and having that on individuals' records for the rest of their life is unfair because people are doing worse crimes out in the community. -RW003
From reading this awesome article, I finally understand why " jurisdictions should consider expanding the types of criminal record information that are eligible for expungement". Based on how the criminal justice system is now, it's going to almost be impossible for someone with a record to get back on their feet. As Dr. White and everyone else say "no one's perfect" but everyone has common sense to know when they are wrong. Most people don't like to admit it when their wrong in public because it reflects their reputation towards the world. What also interested me about this article was knowing that the. FBI "adds some 10,000 names to it's database everyday". I thought the FBI added a whole lot less names, for example like 5,000 a day. But referring back to the article, when it talks about discrimination; I think it doesn't matter who you are you can't escape discrimination with what ever you do in life. Because there's always that one person who has an issue with what you are doing in everyday life. K9003
I agree with you, it is very hard for someone that has been in the system to get back on his or her feet. There has to be a better way to make things better for them depending on the crime. GRUNT003
Agreed. I agree with all of this. We have serious problems saying that the criteria and standards that we ourselves made is actually morally wrong and needs changing. Instead, in today's age, we use drugs as the nation's "boogeyman." But reform has always been the needed revolution that's never happened. The U.S. has a terrible habit of projecting our problems and much smaller issues. For example, we used to think alcohol was the weak link in our nation's chain, e.g. Prohibition. After that, we just blamed Mexicans; and even after that, we blamed Muslims. Weird to think that maybe the rest of the world isn't the problem, our way of thinking is. CK003
I agree. It is very hard for someone to get back on there feet when they are in the system for something that may have not been that serious. everyone makes mistakes and like Dr. white says we have all been guilty of something. We just haven't been caught. LT003
I think that arrest records should never be fully expunged. Having past offenses come up on a police computer can be the difference between making a stop that finds an illegal gun or other contraband, and letting a criminal drive away without being pulled over for a minor infraction. Having knowledge of prior arrests or convictions also improves officer safety when responding to certain types of calls. For example: if an officer on patrol receives a call to respond to a domestic disturbance to home with an offender that has a record of resisting arrest, then the officer will know to take more precautions with that offender. While it would not be a good idea to expunge records entirely, it would be a good idea for certain government or private employers to elect not to ask about criminal records during the application process depending on the job. I have had the opportunity to speak to several corrections officers in my career, and they all would claim that many prisoners just wanted to do their time and get out without causing more trouble. If employers were more lenient towards nonviolent reformed offenders then it would help reduce recidivism rates by giving the opportunity to have a stable and legal income. The idea of being able to find a decent job after departing from the penal system could also help the people who feel as though they have a nicer life on the inside of a prison hope for a better life on the outside. CoolGuy003
I agree with all of this. Officers have every right to know who they're dealing with for their own safety. I'm on board with employers not getting full disclosure on past criminal history within reason. It's important that people find gainful employment after incarceration in order to keep them on the right track. RustyPete003
Your facts and ideas is very interesting and easily agreeable. One of the most dangerous duty of a Police officer is traffic stop, so not knowing who this individual might be would put this officer in major disadvantage and risk of encountering a extremely dangerous situation. So not having the record fully expunged, can have the potential to save innocent lives. JupiorZ003
I think this a hard subject to talk about. I see this could go so many different ways. Many people would say they did the crime now they have to do the time, but how long would that person that committed the crime have to do the time for hat ever it was he or she did? I think there should really be something new done that says something about the crime you did and how bad it was, and look at all areas of why that person did what they did and maybe lessen the punishment. There are so many people today that did a crime for money or food to survive and they where caught, now they can’t get jobs or any assistance. I think this would make most people want to keep doing the bad stuff because they would have no where to turn. GRUNT003
I agree GRUNT003, we should definitely make some reforms to the little details. We should also be more aware of the reasoning behind most people madness. If we believe they could be a threat to anyone around them then obviously they do not need to have access to as many freedoms as the average person. When we mix these different criminals with each other, they may influence each other and become almost like one side and the people in charge of them become the other side. We definitely need to make it more fair regarding to the time sentences and the level of criminal activity. texaslonghorns003
I agree with you. Everyone has the right to be able to earn their own reputation back. On some cases if they only a commit a petty crime then that record shouldn't have to followed. We will never know who will be sitting next to or walking past on the streets. GoodVibes003
I wish that telling your possible future employer the reasoning behind the crime you committed would make them understand more, but once the person applying puts a check on that box, they are already being judged and it is sad. I wish some of the people in this country would stop judging people for their past or race or gender or religion. We have a lot of problems to fix in this country, but unfortunately I think it is the people we need to fix, not the country. NOsaints003
I completely agree its hard to say this guy should only get his or not because till you read the report whos knows the severity of the crime you have look at all the areas but after reading this really open up my eyes and can see that we locking people up for a long time over petty stuff
I love the idea about how if you act accordingly in jail/prison your time in their will be released. I also would think that police officers would feel a little more secure knowing a little bit of background knowledge on a citizen before they enter the scene. I just think that after a while you shouldn't have to carry it around. The more people who are employed after being locked up, the better they are to society. I know that if I was locked up and knew that there was no hope of getting a job, then I wouldn't be as motivated to do my time and go back to into society. I do believe there are many benefits to locking certain people up though, simply because they are too much of a threat to be out in normal society. For most it might be mental but also desires and money. If the only way of making a salary is to sell drugs for the prisoner, then he will not have a way to survive financially once released. Employers play a role to. They need to learn to look at the person in front of them and not the information that is in the past on the paper in front of them. Records of past incidences should be used only to prepare the officer for the extremity of the violator, and shouldn't be more lenient to give a ticket to someone who already has received many. texaslonghorns003
texaslonghorns003, I agree with you when looking at a person you must see them as a whole person. Based on the article there are lots of people who have been to jail, and some of them change in jail. Some people become completely honest after jail. There are individuals that have mental disorders that are in jail and some of those mental disorders are post traumatic stress which cause an individual to dissociate and not know what is going on while the crime is committed. Poor people are seen as violent and they are see in society as criminal just as much as the city link bus station posts crime stoppers on their TV screen with convicts. Some convicts are not in jail and we are supposed to in our society fear poor people. Looking a certain way and defining a person by appearance does not exactly give a whole perspective about a person. Our society focuses on the appearance of a person rather than the whole person and that doesn't define people we wish we could define everybody as their whole self. Mug shots always make the criminal look horrible even if they did not commit the crime. -sweetiesashamattiejackson002
I also agree that acting accordingly and having good behavior while fulfilling your sentence should enable an individual to be released earlier. There are definitely some cases where individuals should not have their criminal records destroyed so that they may work. I agree that smaller cases and individuals that were convicted at a young age should be given an opportunity to return to society with no black marks after they have fulfilled their sentence.-Bulls003
The statistics in this article are very large concerning the amount of individuals that have a criminal record. The fact that the FBI and other organizations are adding 10,000 names to the criminal record list daily is overwhelming. I feel that the criminal justice system is heading in the right direction by addressing these numbers and attempting to come up with a solution for this dilemma. There is definitely a fine line that needs to be drawn for the erasing of some ones criminal records. Everyone is human and makes mistakes at some given point. Sending someone to jail and then ruining their potential future with a criminal record is causing a dilemma in our society. Having the ability to fulfill your sentence in jail and then return to society with no criminal record because of good behavior and time has had no drawbacks. Although the states that have begun using this system still are having issues with discrimination in the working environment, there has been an improvement. -Bulls003
I think that this is definitely a topic that should be explored. There needs to be a certain level of understanding by employers that no one is perfect, and even if someone made a terrible mistake years ago, it's likely that they are not the same person today. However, I do not feel the same toward violent offenders. Committing crimes like rape and murder should follow you around and make your life harder. You've done something much worse that possessing drugs and you should be treated accordingly. It all comes down to the discretion of the employer and being able to evaluate each case on it's own. They should be able to get a sense of what kind of person they are dealing with. If a person has made a mistake, paid his dues for it and feels remorseful, why should we keep punishing that person who will likely never do it again. RustyPete003
I believe for the most part, a criminal should be able to be given this opportunity to get their record expunged, it would be like a second chance to be a good person again. Considering 25-30 percent of adult Americans have a criminal record, that is a large part of a work force, and discrimination caused by criminal record would greatly cripple this large group of people. To be in the perspective of a person who carries a criminal record. If this person wanted to relive his life, and become a better person, they would be discriminated against during their job or interviewing for a job. Discrimination from a community may cause this individual to feel alienated, thus causes this individual to think about rebellious acts. This individual may feel as if they are no longer belong to the society they once knew, so committing a crime and going to prison would not make much of a difference, feeling as if prison is truly where they belong. In the idea of keeping a record so the government can have a data on a certain individual, to prevent future repeated crimes, is a good way to put a person back into a jail. Keeping a criminal record on a individual is a "Prevention" because for the most cases this person may "Never Ever" commit another crime, so saving this record, may just cause trouble or discrimination to the individual either work or a normal traffic stops. A normal person for the most part would never go back in their life of crime, when they are given a second chance to live again, most would probably seen this as a gift of hope. JupiorZ003
I never realized how many individuals are effected by their criminal records when they go to apply for a job opportunity, until this article opened my eyes and made me think about this certain topic. It gave me a different outlook on criminals, who are trying to have a better life for themselves, instead of spending the rest of their lives behind bars. Every person in the world makes mistakes and no one is perfect. Each individual with a criminal background has a second chance to leave their past behind and change their way of life through this opportunity to expunge their criminal record. They have the possibility to seek employment and are less likely to commit another crime. The only criminals, who should be able to expunge their criminal records is individuals, who have committed a misdemeanor. They shouldn't be penalized their whole life for one mistake that happened years ago and have to carry it with them in their future. These individuals are trying to make a living and fit into society by going through these programs and applying for jobs to make a living. When it comes to criminals that have committed murder, or rape then I don't think they should have the same opportunity as the criminals with misdemeanors. Murderers and rapists deserve to carry and remember their negative actions and bad choices with them every time they go to apply for employment, or try to fit in with society. Murderers and rapists are more likely to repeat their past rather than a criminal with a misdemeanor on their record. It should be more difficult for them to be hired because they are a danger to society and may commit murder, or rape again. These criminals with misdemeanors have served their time behind bars and deserve to be able live their live free and peaceful from their criminal record. -RW003
I never realized how many individuals are effected by their criminal records when they go to apply for a job opportunity, until this article opened my eyes and made me think about this certain topic. It gave me a different outlook on criminals, who are trying to have a better life for themselves, instead of spending the rest of their lives behind bars. Every person in the world makes mistakes and no one is perfect. Each individual with a criminal background has a second chance to leave their past behind and change their way of life through this opportunity to expunge their criminal record. They have the possibility to seek employment and are less likely to commit another crime. The only criminals, who should be able to expunge their criminal records is individuals, who have committed a misdemeanor. They shouldn't be penalized their whole life for one mistake that happened years ago and have to carry it with them in their future. These individuals are trying to make a living and fit into society by going through these programs and applying for jobs to make a living. When it comes to criminals that have committed murder, or rape then I don't think they should have the same opportunity as the criminals with misdemeanors. Murderers and rapists deserve to carry and remember their negative actions and bad choices with them every time they go to apply for employment, or try to fit in with society. Murderers and rapists are more likely to repeat their past rather than a criminal with a misdemeanor on their record. It should be more difficult for them to be hired because they are a danger to society and may commit murder, or rape again. These criminals with misdemeanors have served their time behind bars and deserve to be able live their live free and peaceful from their criminal record. -RW003
Reading this really makes me think that having a felony label on your reports as you apply for jobs, loans, ect. kind of screws that person over I know what your thinking "wow that was a stupid response" but I never knew how much that label really affects someone. They can't own a firearm, could lose their license, or not even being able to serve on a jury for seven years! Now I feel like if you do the crime you should do the time/punishment. But then again I feel like if you are a model citizen and haven't done anything wrong since the time you were convicted you should have a way of working it off. Like the British after a couple of months you don't have to report a crime they committed. Unfortunately I don't think it can take a couple of months to wipe away of a record of a crime you committed. Depending on their crime should factor their punishment or parole. I feel like people who get D.U.I's should have to volunteer at the morgue or work at AA meetings to see what their actions affect or how they can affect someone. Those types of actions can really show someone such as a judge that even as felons or ect. that they can change or that they at least want to improve their life's. -BikeMaker003
I agree BikeMaker. If someone does a crime, they should pay the consequences. I didn't realize how much having a record can have such an affect on a person's life. Not being able to get a job, no financial assistance, I had no idea. Gators003
I absolutely loved on how this topic is being explored because in some country's someone's criminal record can be erased within a couple of months or years depending on the crime and how long it has to follow them. In the U.S. along if someone where to commit a crime that will follow them for the rest of their live's. For example, if I where to get pulled over for whatever reason and the found 3 joints on me and I would be getting a 15 year sentence, but if someone went to prison for raping a minor they would only be getting 8 or less years. Now say if I were to be a serial and killed more than 10 people. I would deserve to serve my full sentence with no parole because I would not fit into society also because I would be a violent offender. Where it says about 25-30 percent of Americans have a criminal record. I wish they would of went into more detail about that certain sentence. It's true we could be walking on the street passing a drug dealer or even a rapist but we wouldn't know that. I mean who knows that individual could be going to commit the same crime. It just comes to show that on some occasions if it was more serious crime then yes there is no way to get their reputation back but if they only had a misdemeanor then why should it matter right? GoodVibes003
After so many years of living with the burden of a stupid mistake, those who committed those small mistakes should eventually be able to forget about them and not be discriminated because of them. With that said, we need to be mindful of how lax we get with such things, even though the mistake may have been a minor one, it was still a mistake and we as humans pay for our mistakes for the rest of our lives. Finding a small joint on someone is one thing, we cannot have these people serving years of prison for one mistake. Should they be punished for what they did? Sure, they have to learn somehow, but it is unnecessary for them to be punished for the rest of their lives. The way the sentencings for drug laws is set up needs to be broken down and reconstructed to better fit todays society in my opinion. NOsaints003
I agree with you fully. The fact that they hold this over their head as a dark cloud needs to stop. I was charged with underage drinking at 18. Anytime I fill out an application I have to put this on there. I never did jail time or anything like that but I have to let them know what happen. It really makes me feel stupid because it was a stupid mistake I made at a younger age. Max003
This article does relate well to today’s society. It relates well because, as a prior example, if someone was caught smoking marijuana or something similar when they’re twenty years old, they shouldn’t need to keep that on their record for 30+ years, especially if they haven’t done anything wrong since then. If the person is a repeat offender, then I think they should have consequences. If you’ve got sticky fingers, I sure wouldn’t want you working for me. But if you stole a few shirts when you were 22 and haven’t done anything since, I feel as if you may have learned your lesson and should get a second chance. Some things are meant to stay on someone’s record (murder, rape) and some things aren’t. While I do agree that you should pay consequences for what you’ve done, we’re human and we all make mistakes. We are all one bad choice away from being in that situation. Let’s look at the bigger picture here. Gators003
I really enjoyed this article for many reasons! One being that I never paid attention or even thought about how having a criminal record can effect you in the work and many other areas. Like stated before we all have done something dumb in our lives but that doesn't make us a bad person or someone who has to do 25-30 years behind bars when we have even worse criminals getting less time or some where out there still haven't been caught. Hopefully this article opens eyes!-tracker003
This article was a very interesting article to read. It shocked me to know that more than 30% of the adult population have criminal records. If America wants to grow as a country I believe that this should go into effect my reason is that giving a person a second chance by expunging their criminal record would help them from returning to that life of crime. Without that criminal record they would be able to find a job easier and help support a family. A person who has a criminal record for stealing something small at the age 18 could really affect them finding a job. The reason being when an employer does a background check of this person it will show them as having theft less than 500 dollars. When the employer sees this they would differ from even hiring the person. It could have been from stealing something that that person needed and maybe did not have the money at the time. I believe this would have a positive effect on this country and should be applied. Max003
I think that every criminal should be given a second chance. With 30% of adults carrying a criminal record, it can start to make our country look pretty bad. Some people think that we incarcerate people to soon, but others believe that there isn't enough discipline in our law system. Excluding murder and rape, I think people should have a second chance to have a clean record. Personally I have met plenty of adults who carry the weight of their past, years and years after they have made their mistake. However your criminal record can effect jobs, school, and overall just the way people view you as a person. If the person pay their fines, or serves their time they should be given another chance. However if the person continues to break the law, their lesson wasn't learned and their crimes are better to be acknowledged. To this day, there is a huge controversy over sex offenders. You can go online and find websites to view who's near you, and some people argue that that is an invasion of privacy. I think it's a great way to feel more safe about where you live knowing who's around you and your family. We are all human and we all make mistakes. This could relate back to the policing era article. Police are human as well and don't always make the best decisions in the moment. It all comes down to how you view it. Chi003
I think its very hard for people to get back on there feet todday because so many people judge at first look and dont relize people can change and now day people are getting put in jail for driven to fast and dont paying a speeding ticket or gram of weed for a kid that wouldnt hurt a fly then you hundreds of people trying to find these crappy jobs because no big jobs will hire them because of a small charge 20 years ago i think we need to upgrade revise the system we have today because people are losing out on time in there one life over petty stuff
I completely agree with you cowboys003. For such small offenses, people should not have to have that hanging over their heads their entire life. It just isn't fair and just to them. Our system needs to be revised to have sentences and punishments that fit the crime. JE003
This was a very interesting article. I believe we as a nation have forgot what we stand for all together. Our country’s attitude now is, Throw them away for doing crimes. As my professor said we have all done something worth going to jail or even prison. We are just the luck people not to get caught . Are criminal Justice system struggles to handle to what is to cruel and what is to nice. I believe that we should look back and determine what is right for handling petty laws, because our system is going down hill. LT003
This article was a shock to read. I cannot believe that 25-30% of the adults in America have a criminal record. I would assume that most of the offenses they committed were not very serious and that is unfortunate. It is unfortunate that they have to live with that hanging over their heads for the rest of their lives, especially if it wasn't a heinous crime. I believe that our criminal justice system needs a serious overhaul, and I mean serious. We as a nation need to go back and review the repercussions for breaking minor laws. We need to do this because we have way too many people in jail or prisons that honestly should not be there. JE003
Definitely an interesting article, one that some what appeals to my fear of both the criminal justice system, as well as our country's typical attitude. We, as a nation and perhaps even as a species, have substantial issues admitting when we are incorrect about something. For a number of years our criminal justice system has been struggling to find the fine line between what we consider "too strict" or "too lenient" of punishment. Although I do not know what the correct solution is, it is easy to tell by the statistics given in this article that we are currently doing this "peace officer" job poorly. As our professor repeatedly mentions, we are all human; we all make mistakes. But sadly, the criminal justice system has dug itself an enormous hole that, again, we are too scared to say was our faults. In the mean time, I guess we can just keep blaming marijuana. CK003
ReplyDeleteCK003,
DeleteYou are exactly right about our nations typical attitude towards admitting when we are wrong and are criminal justice system with punishment. To me personally I think our criminal justice system takes punishment way too far. For example local cops escalating situations to a whole new level by their actions. Then when it comes to our nations attitude, depending on the situation; I think that's where discrimination come in to help the system decide on what type of punishment to give an individual. Referring to the statistics in the article as well. Shows that our criminal justice system lacks the ability to help the criminals with their desires to commit crimes. So I totally agree with you 100%. K9003
I agree completely with you about how the Criminal Justice System is not the way it should. Marijuana is not the problem on why the crime is the way it is. There are other crimes that law enforcement need to focus more on, like drinking and driving, or texting while driving because those actions are putting other citizens' life in danger. Locking people up in jail cells for having marijuana is the least of the police officers worries and having that on individuals' records for the rest of their life is unfair because people are doing worse crimes out in the community. -RW003
DeleteFrom reading this awesome article, I finally understand why " jurisdictions should consider expanding the types of criminal record information that are eligible for expungement". Based on how the criminal justice system is now, it's going to almost be impossible for someone with a record to get back on their feet. As Dr. White and everyone else say "no one's perfect" but everyone has common sense to know when they are wrong. Most people don't like to admit it when their wrong in public because it reflects their reputation towards the world. What also interested me about this article was knowing that the. FBI "adds some 10,000 names to it's database everyday". I thought the FBI added a whole lot less names, for example like 5,000 a day. But referring back to the article, when it talks about discrimination; I think it doesn't matter who you are you can't escape discrimination with what ever you do in life. Because there's always that one person who has an issue with what you are doing in everyday life. K9003
ReplyDeleteI agree with you, it is very hard for someone that has been in the system to get back on his or her feet. There has to be a better way to make things better for them depending on the crime.
DeleteGRUNT003
Agreed. I agree with all of this. We have serious problems saying that the criteria and standards that we ourselves made is actually morally wrong and needs changing. Instead, in today's age, we use drugs as the nation's "boogeyman." But reform has always been the needed revolution that's never happened. The U.S. has a terrible habit of projecting our problems and much smaller issues. For example, we used to think alcohol was the weak link in our nation's chain, e.g. Prohibition. After that, we just blamed Mexicans; and even after that, we blamed Muslims. Weird to think that maybe the rest of the world isn't the problem, our way of thinking is. CK003
DeleteI agree. It is very hard for someone to get back on there feet when they are in the system for something that may have not been that serious. everyone makes mistakes and like Dr. white says we have all been guilty of something. We just haven't been caught. LT003
DeleteI think that arrest records should never be fully expunged. Having past offenses come up on a police computer can be the difference between making a stop that finds an illegal gun or other contraband, and letting a criminal drive away without being pulled over for a minor infraction. Having knowledge of prior arrests or convictions also improves officer safety when responding to certain types of calls. For example: if an officer on patrol receives a call to respond to a domestic disturbance to home with an offender that has a record of resisting arrest, then the officer will know to take more precautions with that offender. While it would not be a good idea to expunge records entirely, it would be a good idea for certain government or private employers to elect not to ask about criminal records during the application process depending on the job. I have had the opportunity to speak to several corrections officers in my career, and they all would claim that many prisoners just wanted to do their time and get out without causing more trouble. If employers were more lenient towards nonviolent reformed offenders then it would help reduce recidivism rates by giving the opportunity to have a stable and legal income. The idea of being able to find a decent job after departing from the penal system could also help the people who feel as though they have a nicer life on the inside of a prison hope for a better life on the outside. CoolGuy003
ReplyDeleteI agree with all of this. Officers have every right to know who they're dealing with for their own safety. I'm on board with employers not getting full disclosure on past criminal history within reason. It's important that people find gainful employment after incarceration in order to keep them on the right track. RustyPete003
DeleteYour facts and ideas is very interesting and easily agreeable. One of the most dangerous duty of a Police officer is traffic stop, so not knowing who this individual might be would put this officer in major disadvantage and risk of encountering a extremely dangerous situation. So not having the record fully expunged, can have the potential to save innocent lives. JupiorZ003
DeleteI think this a hard subject to talk about. I see this could go so many different ways. Many people would say they did the crime now they have to do the time, but how long would that person that committed the crime have to do the time for hat ever it was he or she did? I think there should really be something new done that says something about the crime you did and how bad it was, and look at all areas of why that person did what they did and maybe lessen the punishment. There are so many people today that did a crime for money or food to survive and they where caught, now they can’t get jobs or any assistance. I think this would make most people want to keep doing the bad stuff because they would have no where to turn.
ReplyDeleteGRUNT003
I agree GRUNT003, we should definitely make some reforms to the little details. We should also be more aware of the reasoning behind most people madness. If we believe they could be a threat to anyone around them then obviously they do not need to have access to as many freedoms as the average person. When we mix these different criminals with each other, they may influence each other and become almost like one side and the people in charge of them become the other side. We definitely need to make it more fair regarding to the time sentences and the level of criminal activity. texaslonghorns003
DeleteI agree with you. Everyone has the right to be able to earn their own reputation back. On some cases if they only a commit a petty crime then that record shouldn't have to followed. We will never know who will be sitting next to or walking past on the streets. GoodVibes003
DeleteI wish that telling your possible future employer the reasoning behind the crime you committed would make them understand more, but once the person applying puts a check on that box, they are already being judged and it is sad. I wish some of the people in this country would stop judging people for their past or race or gender or religion. We have a lot of problems to fix in this country, but unfortunately I think it is the people we need to fix, not the country. NOsaints003
DeleteI completely agree its hard to say this guy should only get his or not because till you read the report whos knows the severity of the crime you have look at all the areas but after reading this really open up my eyes and can see that we locking people up for a long time over petty stuff
Deletecowboys003
I love the idea about how if you act accordingly in jail/prison your time in their will be released. I also would think that police officers would feel a little more secure knowing a little bit of background knowledge on a citizen before they enter the scene. I just think that after a while you shouldn't have to carry it around. The more people who are employed after being locked up, the better they are to society. I know that if I was locked up and knew that there was no hope of getting a job, then I wouldn't be as motivated to do my time and go back to into society. I do believe there are many benefits to locking certain people up though, simply because they are too much of a threat to be out in normal society. For most it might be mental but also desires and money. If the only way of making a salary is to sell drugs for the prisoner, then he will not have a way to survive financially once released. Employers play a role to. They need to learn to look at the person in front of them and not the information that is in the past on the paper in front of them. Records of past incidences should be used only to prepare the officer for the extremity of the violator, and shouldn't be more lenient to give a ticket to someone who already has received many. texaslonghorns003
ReplyDeletetexaslonghorns003,
DeleteI agree with you when looking at a person you must see them as a whole person. Based on the article there are lots of people who have been to jail, and some of them change in jail. Some people become completely honest after jail. There are individuals that have mental disorders that are in jail and some of those mental disorders are post traumatic stress which cause an individual to dissociate and not know what is going on while the crime is committed. Poor people are seen as violent and they are see in society as criminal just as much as the city link bus station posts crime stoppers on their TV screen with convicts. Some convicts are not in jail and we are supposed to in our society fear poor people. Looking a certain way and defining a person by appearance does not exactly give a whole perspective about a person. Our society focuses on the appearance of a person rather than the whole person and that doesn't define people we wish we could define everybody as their whole self. Mug shots always make the criminal look horrible even if they did not commit the crime. -sweetiesashamattiejackson002
I also agree that acting accordingly and having good behavior while fulfilling your sentence should enable an individual to be released earlier. There are definitely some cases where individuals should not have their criminal records destroyed so that they may work. I agree that smaller cases and individuals that were convicted at a young age should be given an opportunity to return to society with no black marks after they have fulfilled their sentence.-Bulls003
DeleteThe statistics in this article are very large concerning the amount of individuals that have a criminal record. The fact that the FBI and other organizations are adding 10,000 names to the criminal record list daily is overwhelming. I feel that the criminal justice system is heading in the right direction by addressing these numbers and attempting to come up with a solution for this dilemma. There is definitely a fine line that needs to be drawn for the erasing of some ones criminal records. Everyone is human and makes mistakes at some given point. Sending someone to jail and then ruining their potential future with a criminal record is causing a dilemma in our society. Having the ability to fulfill your sentence in jail and then return to society with no criminal record because of good behavior and time has had no drawbacks. Although the states that have begun using this system still are having issues with discrimination in the working environment, there has been an improvement. -Bulls003
ReplyDeleteI think that this is definitely a topic that should be explored. There needs to be a certain level of understanding by employers that no one is perfect, and even if someone made a terrible mistake years ago, it's likely that they are not the same person today. However, I do not feel the same toward violent offenders. Committing crimes like rape and murder should follow you around and make your life harder. You've done something much worse that possessing drugs and you should be treated accordingly. It all comes down to the discretion of the employer and being able to evaluate each case on it's own. They should be able to get a sense of what kind of person they are dealing with. If a person has made a mistake, paid his dues for it and feels remorseful, why should we keep punishing that person who will likely never do it again. RustyPete003
ReplyDeleteI believe for the most part, a criminal should be able to be given this opportunity to get their record expunged, it would be like a second chance to be a good person again. Considering 25-30 percent of adult Americans have a criminal record, that is a large part of a work force, and discrimination caused by criminal record would greatly cripple this large group of people. To be in the perspective of a person who carries a criminal record. If this person wanted to relive his life, and become a better person, they would be discriminated against during their job or interviewing for a job. Discrimination from a community may cause this individual to feel alienated, thus causes this individual to think about rebellious acts. This individual may feel as if they are no longer belong to the society they once knew, so committing a crime and going to prison would not make much of a difference, feeling as if prison is truly where they belong. In the idea of keeping a record so the government can have a data on a certain individual, to prevent future repeated crimes, is a good way to put a person back into a jail. Keeping a criminal record on a individual is a "Prevention" because for the most cases this person may "Never Ever" commit another crime, so saving this record, may just cause trouble or discrimination to the individual either work or a normal traffic stops. A normal person for the most part would never go back in their life of crime, when they are given a second chance to live again, most would probably seen this as a gift of hope. JupiorZ003
ReplyDeleteI never realized how many individuals are effected by their criminal records when they go to apply for a job opportunity, until this article opened my eyes and made me think about this certain topic. It gave me a different outlook on criminals, who are trying to have a better life for themselves, instead of spending the rest of their lives behind bars. Every person in the world makes mistakes and no one is perfect. Each individual with a criminal background has a second chance to leave their past behind and change their way of life through this opportunity to expunge their criminal record. They have the possibility to seek employment and are less likely to commit another crime. The only criminals, who should be able to expunge their criminal records is individuals, who have committed a misdemeanor. They shouldn't be penalized their whole life for one mistake that happened years ago and have to carry it with them in their future. These individuals are trying to make a living and fit into society by going through these programs and applying for jobs to make a living. When it comes to criminals that have committed murder, or rape then I don't think they should have the same opportunity as the criminals with misdemeanors. Murderers and rapists deserve to carry and remember their negative actions and bad choices with them every time they go to apply for employment, or try to fit in with society. Murderers and rapists are more likely to repeat their past rather than a criminal with a misdemeanor on their record. It should be more difficult for them to be hired because they are a danger to society and may commit murder, or rape again. These criminals with misdemeanors have served their time behind bars and deserve to be able live their live free and peaceful from their criminal record. -RW003
ReplyDeleteI never realized how many individuals are effected by their criminal records when they go to apply for a job opportunity, until this article opened my eyes and made me think about this certain topic. It gave me a different outlook on criminals, who are trying to have a better life for themselves, instead of spending the rest of their lives behind bars. Every person in the world makes mistakes and no one is perfect. Each individual with a criminal background has a second chance to leave their past behind and change their way of life through this opportunity to expunge their criminal record. They have the possibility to seek employment and are less likely to commit another crime. The only criminals, who should be able to expunge their criminal records is individuals, who have committed a misdemeanor. They shouldn't be penalized their whole life for one mistake that happened years ago and have to carry it with them in their future. These individuals are trying to make a living and fit into society by going through these programs and applying for jobs to make a living. When it comes to criminals that have committed murder, or rape then I don't think they should have the same opportunity as the criminals with misdemeanors. Murderers and rapists deserve to carry and remember their negative actions and bad choices with them every time they go to apply for employment, or try to fit in with society. Murderers and rapists are more likely to repeat their past rather than a criminal with a misdemeanor on their record. It should be more difficult for them to be hired because they are a danger to society and may commit murder, or rape again. These criminals with misdemeanors have served their time behind bars and deserve to be able live their live free and peaceful from their criminal record. -RW003
ReplyDeleteReading this really makes me think that having a felony label on your reports as you apply for jobs, loans, ect. kind of screws that person over I know what your thinking "wow that was a stupid response" but I never knew how much that label really affects someone. They can't own a firearm, could lose their license, or not even being able to serve on a jury for seven years! Now I feel like if you do the crime you should do the time/punishment. But then again I feel like if you are a model citizen and haven't done anything wrong since the time you were convicted you should have a way of working it off. Like the British after a couple of months you don't have to report a crime they committed. Unfortunately I don't think it can take a couple of months to wipe away of a record of a crime you committed. Depending on their crime should factor their punishment or parole. I feel like people who get D.U.I's should have to volunteer at the morgue or work at AA meetings to see what their actions affect or how they can affect someone. Those types of actions can really show someone such as a judge that even as felons or ect. that they can change or that they at least want to improve their life's.
ReplyDelete-BikeMaker003
I agree BikeMaker. If someone does a crime, they should pay the consequences. I didn't realize how much having a record can have such an affect on a person's life. Not being able to get a job, no financial assistance, I had no idea. Gators003
DeleteI absolutely loved on how this topic is being explored because in some country's someone's criminal record can be erased within a couple of months or years depending on the crime and how long it has to follow them. In the U.S. along if someone where to commit a crime that will follow them for the rest of their live's. For example, if I where to get pulled over for whatever reason and the found 3 joints on me and I would be getting a 15 year sentence, but if someone went to prison for raping a minor they would only be getting 8 or less years. Now say if I were to be a serial and killed more than 10 people. I would deserve to serve my full sentence with no parole because I would not fit into society also because I would be a violent offender. Where it says about 25-30 percent of Americans have a criminal record. I wish they would of went into more detail about that certain sentence. It's true we could be walking on the street passing a drug dealer or even a rapist but we wouldn't know that. I mean who knows that individual could be going to commit the same crime. It just comes to show that on some occasions if it was more serious crime then yes there is no way to get their reputation back but if they only had a misdemeanor then why should it matter right? GoodVibes003
ReplyDeleteAfter so many years of living with the burden of a stupid mistake, those who committed those small mistakes should eventually be able to forget about them and not be discriminated because of them. With that said, we need to be mindful of how lax we get with such things, even though the mistake may have been a minor one, it was still a mistake and we as humans pay for our mistakes for the rest of our lives. Finding a small joint on someone is one thing, we cannot have these people serving years of prison for one mistake. Should they be punished for what they did? Sure, they have to learn somehow, but it is unnecessary for them to be punished for the rest of their lives. The way the sentencings for drug laws is set up needs to be broken down and reconstructed to better fit todays society in my opinion. NOsaints003
ReplyDeleteI agree with you fully. The fact that they hold this over their head as a dark cloud needs to stop. I was charged with underage drinking at 18. Anytime I fill out an application I have to put this on there. I never did jail time or anything like that but I have to let them know what happen. It really makes me feel stupid because it was a stupid mistake I made at a younger age. Max003
DeleteThis article does relate well to today’s society. It relates well because, as a prior example, if someone was caught smoking marijuana or something similar when they’re twenty years old, they shouldn’t need to keep that on their record for 30+ years, especially if they haven’t done anything wrong since then. If the person is a repeat offender, then I think they should have consequences. If you’ve got sticky fingers, I sure wouldn’t want you working for me. But if you stole a few shirts when you were 22 and haven’t done anything since, I feel as if you may have learned your lesson and should get a second chance. Some things are meant to stay on someone’s record (murder, rape) and some things aren’t. While I do agree that you should pay consequences for what you’ve done, we’re human and we all make mistakes. We are all one bad choice away from being in that situation. Let’s look at the bigger picture here. Gators003
ReplyDeleteI really enjoyed this article for many reasons! One being that I never paid attention or even thought about how having a criminal record can effect you in the work and many other areas. Like stated before we all have done something dumb in our lives but that doesn't make us a bad person or someone who has to do 25-30 years behind bars when we have even worse criminals getting less time or some where out there still haven't been caught. Hopefully this article opens eyes!-tracker003
ReplyDeleteThis article was a very interesting article to read. It shocked me to know that more than 30% of the adult population have criminal records. If America wants to grow as a country I believe that this should go into effect my reason is that giving a person a second chance by expunging their criminal record would help them from returning to that life of crime. Without that criminal record they would be able to find a job easier and help support a family. A person who has a criminal record for stealing something small at the age 18 could really affect them finding a job. The reason being when an employer does a background check of this person it will show them as having theft less than 500 dollars. When the employer sees this they would differ from even hiring the person. It could have been from stealing something that that person needed and maybe did not have the money at the time. I believe this would have a positive effect on this country and should be applied. Max003
ReplyDeleteI think that every criminal should be given a second chance. With 30% of adults carrying a criminal record, it can start to make our country look pretty bad. Some people think that we incarcerate people to soon, but others believe that there isn't enough discipline in our law system. Excluding murder and rape, I think people should have a second chance to have a clean record. Personally I have met plenty of adults who carry the weight of their past, years and years after they have made their mistake. However your criminal record can effect jobs, school, and overall just the way people view you as a person. If the person pay their fines, or serves their time they should be given another chance. However if the person continues to break the law, their lesson wasn't learned and their crimes are better to be acknowledged. To this day, there is a huge controversy over sex offenders. You can go online and find websites to view who's near you, and some people argue that that is an invasion of privacy. I think it's a great way to feel more safe about where you live knowing who's around you and your family. We are all human and we all make mistakes. This could relate back to the policing era article. Police are human as well and don't always make the best decisions in the moment. It all comes down to how you view it. Chi003
ReplyDeleteI think its very hard for people to get back on there feet todday because so many people judge at first look and dont relize people can change and now day people are getting put in jail for driven to fast and dont paying a speeding ticket or gram of weed for a kid that wouldnt hurt a fly then you hundreds of people trying to find these crappy jobs because no big jobs will hire them because of a small charge 20 years ago i think we need to upgrade revise the system we have today because people are losing out on time in there one life over petty stuff
ReplyDeletecowboys003
I completely agree with you cowboys003. For such small offenses, people should not have to have that hanging over their heads their entire life. It just isn't fair and just to them. Our system needs to be revised to have sentences and punishments that fit the crime. JE003
DeleteThis was a very interesting article. I believe we as a nation have forgot what we stand for all together. Our country’s attitude now is, Throw them away for doing crimes. As my professor said we have all done something worth going to jail or even prison. We are just the luck people not to get caught . Are criminal Justice system struggles to handle to what is to cruel and what is to nice. I believe that we should look back and determine what is right for handling petty laws, because our system is going down hill. LT003
ReplyDeleteThis article was a shock to read. I cannot believe that 25-30% of the adults in America have a criminal record. I would assume that most of the offenses they committed were not very serious and that is unfortunate. It is unfortunate that they have to live with that hanging over their heads for the rest of their lives, especially if it wasn't a heinous crime. I believe that our criminal justice system needs a serious overhaul, and I mean serious. We as a nation need to go back and review the repercussions for breaking minor laws. We need to do this because we have way too many people in jail or prisons that honestly should not be there. JE003
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