Hiring Ex-cons / Rehabilitation?

[NY65912]

Over the years we have hired a few ex-cons. I must say that they have been good employees. We have 2 laborers and 1 other person that I will not describe his work title so as not to give him away.

This one particular worker is a foreman on jobs and is a model employee.

He has a name you would recognize. He is the nicest person and family man.

After 5 years of employment he is a trusted part of the team.

He went away twice for 2 major crimes.

I do believe that a person can change, or at least I have faith and hope so.

What are your experiences?

Cheers

[LWJ]

I rented to a bank robber. Great guy. Serious issues caused the crime.

Worked at a factory where we hired a ton of halfway-house people. They were great until they got walking papers and then? Gone.

There is a bread company here that hires tons of ex-cons. It works for them.

So, a mixed bag for me.

[matthewb0051]

Originally Posted by NY65912

I do believe that a person can change, or at least I have faith and hope so.

What are your experiences?

Cheers

I must say good on you for making the effort.

I've done criminal law for most of my time as an attorney: licensed in 2000. Returned to State practice in 2020 after DoD and Fed stuff.

I will say that I see a large amount of repeat offenders. Some of them are nice as pie but others are just plain do do heads.

[varmint]

I’d hire a murderer before a thief or addict.

[NY65912]

My guy did 11 years, racketeering and attempted murder.

[john70t]

Don't read a proverbial book by the cover.
It's what is inside and drives them.
(I say 'them' because I've never personally been incarcerated within a concrete facility for a lengthy time, other than at work)

Individual circumstances vary greatly.
I worked with some ex-cons with values who efforted at 110% 24/7. They hid that hard edge except for a few stories that slipped out.
Years spent among scumbags only seemed to make that inner impetus more.

As wise man once said: "Some people just need killin."

[Crowbob]

I gave a guy a shot at a job once.

Within a week he came in drunk.

[oldE]

One summer we were looking for a replacement driver for one of our milk routes. I had several guys try out only to bail after a day or so. Finally one of the candidates seemed to be the one: willing to work and on the ball enough to figure things out. After a few days, back at the office, the boss told me we couldn't hire him. He had a criminal record and couldn't be bonded.
That sucked, for both of us.

Best
Les

[911 Rod]

I would assume there a x-cons here amongst us?

[mjohnson]

Originally Posted by Crowbob

I gave a guy a shot at a job once.

Within a week he came in drunk.

I've been in numerous meetings in SCIFs and similar spaces and, at 0800, half of the room was still drunk. Yeah, it was usually in London/Whitehall so one could party pretty hard until 0400 at least.

TBH, an ex-con or someone in rehab has made a conscious choice to do something different/better. That's a far step beyond where I was for 25y and many of my ex-colleagues still are, just stumbling into another job and the like. I'd give every one of those people a chance (OK, and a short leash).

[john70t]

Originally Posted by Crowbob

I gave a guy a shot at a job once.

Within a week he came in drunk.

Test the boundaries and then retreating into a safe zone is basic prison life group behavior. Establish a safe zone.
Needs to be nipped in the bud immediately.

Sorry that you lost a potentially good employee.
Many people need a focus in life. And need to be told.

[berettafan]

I think most everyone other than rapists and child molesters and murderers of the truly innocent deserve a second chance.

I also think there are limits to the opportunities they should be given. No work that puts them in and around homes and offices and no exposure to sensitive info.

[The Synergizer]

Well,
If you have a good looking wife that likes to wash cars with lot's of suds and a big sponge I say buyer beware!

[john70t]

I'm all fishing in the plains of West Texas here.

[peppy]

My brother works with them while they are still incarcerated. He takes it very serious about getting the them back in society with a job that they can support themselves.

[rfuerst911sc]

In our justice system if you are caught breaking the law you pay a debt to society . Sometimes that's cutting a check other times you end up in jail/prison . But once you pay that debt to society the slate is clean and get on with your life.

So you interview the guy/gal that paid their debt to society . There is no guarantee they will be a good or bad hire .

Interview another guy/gal that have never been in trouble with the law . There is no guarantee they will be a good or bad hire .

This may be over simplified but I think is fairly accurate . Bottom line is your interview process along with gut feeling is only going to weed out so much . Add to that people lie . I am glad I am retired 😋

[Arizona_928]

Originally Posted by rfuerst911sc

In our justice system if you are caught breaking the law you pay a debt to society . Sometimes that's cutting a check other times you end up in jail/prison . But once you pay that debt to society the slate is clean and get on with your life.

So you interview the guy/gal that paid their debt to society . There is no guarantee they will be a good or bad hire .

Interview another guy/gal that have never been in trouble with the law . There is no guarantee they will be a good or bad hire .

This may be over simplified but I think is fairly accurate . Bottom line is your interview process along with gut feeling is only going to weed out so much . Add to that people lie . I am glad I am retired 😋

I agree.

convict or not

[Jeff Hail]

1984

I employed through the State of California a man named "Bob". Bob was on a day release program to reintroduce him into society after 30 years of mental health rehabilitation/ incarceration . He would get up early and take a bus from Patton State Hospital in San Bernardino to the San Fernando Valley. At the time the state on some work release programs was subsidizing the employee. (cost offset) and giving an opportunity to get back on his feet, learning trades and re-socialization. The state social worker advised he was not violent or a danger to anyone. At the end of the day Bob would make the trip and return to the Hospital.

Bob was a friendly guy with an eager demeanor. We helped him obtain a drivers license while employed and wanted to develope him. Everyone deserves a second chance right? Every once in a while I would get that feeling something just was not right with him.

About two months on the job I was in the car with Bob going to another job site and I asked if he didnt mind telling me what he was in prison for? I knew it was a psychiatric hospital but it was in fact Bob who called it a prison. Bob very openly told me he had kidnapped and raped a child 30 years prior and was declared criminally insane. He then quickly added he did not kill that child.

Imagine those statements digesting as a I sat at a stoplight?

Next day Bob didn't return from lunch after his first hour. I had to run and errand and found him a few blocks way parked in front of an elementary school playground while children were playing. That gave me the willys.

I instructed him to go back to the office. I contacted his counselor and explained what has happened and that I was not comfortable with finding him parked in front of a school playground with children present. We all agreed termination from employment was the best option. I was contacted by the Hospital directly a week later for additional details as they needed to know exactly what had occured? They updated me that Bob had been placed back into the facility and my call had prevented something bad from happening or someone getting hurt. I later found out he went back to that school again after the termination.

Some years later I saw Bobs obituary in the paper.

If you think once you pay that debt to society the slate is clean...think of Bob.




1997
Bryan was hired who was a recreational recovering crack head. He had a prior felony and a year of county. He was at least honest about it. Showed up every day on time. Caught him stealing tools from a tech. He is lucky the tech didnt catch him. He would have been hurt badly or lost a hand.

1998
Scott. Well known guy in the auto racing circles. Did really great head work. Divorced with a young boy. Crack was more important than his boy, his racing success or his life. It took his soul. Have never seen him again.

2002
Gregg, great service advisor. Great! Thorough, customers adored him. Recovering drunk and open admitted it. One night got back on the bottle and decided to drive. Passed out during a sobriety field test. He fell backward hit his head and ended up with a concussion. Had double vision for months. Last thing he remembered was a hot blonde women CHP Officer with her knee in his back on the shoulder of the 405.

I will forgive Scott and Gregg. The other two no. All were former felons.

[stomachmonkey]

Originally Posted by rfuerst911sc

So you interview the guy/gal that paid their debt to society . There is no guarantee they will be a good or bad hire .

Interview another guy/gal that have never been in trouble with the law . There is no guarantee they will be a good or bad hire .

Pretty much this.

[NY65912]

Interesting experiences.

My main guy was in a family business. I know it sounds strange but I think I understand the position he was in. He is very remorseful of the things he did. We have spoken candidly of his time in prison. What he regrets most his the fact that he really did not get a chance to see his kids grow up. He has told me that "I had no choice" but to be involved. The other guys were drug sales.

We had another young fellow, very personable who was drunk and struck and killed someone driving. He did seven years. We gave him his job back but it only lasted a few weeks. He started not showing up and we cut him loose.

I do think that if you paid your debt you should have an opportunity to make things right with society.

Hiring people is a crap shoot no matter what their past is. Some is good and some ain't.