My husband has a felony, the charge is lewd and lascivious. It was an incident that happened about 6 years ago before we met. He had a drinking problem at the time and has not drank any alcohol in the past 5 years. After serving 7 months in prison for this crime he got out and went back to school.
He started at a community college and went on to be accepted to the Kansas University school of business and graduated with a degree in accounting with distinction which is no small feat! He graduated in December of '16 and has since been unable to find a job in his field.
He has had one offer that was later taken back after seeing his charge on paper and several interviews for jobs where I know he would have got them if it weren't for this charge. We tried to get it expunged but were unsuccessful. The judge did say we should try again later as he wasn't saying no forever. My husband is becoming increasingly disappointed and losing hope. He is a great, intelligent and changed man.
What more can we do?
Felon with college education needs a job
My suggestion is to apply for jobs by letter of application. By applying for jobs this way often allows ex-offenders and felons to get around the application process and never have to mention that he has a criminal record. Many professional job seekers never fill out applications. They send application letters to employers. Take a look at the sample letter below. It will give you an idea of how to put an application letter together.
Perhaps the best advice I can give anyone looking for a job, is to apply for all jobs you are qualified for. Often felons will not apply for jobs because they feel that they will be rejected. That is not a good practice. Never eliminate yourself from jobs by not applying. The more jobs you apply for, the better your opportunity to get interviews.
As far as applying for expungement, this a legal process that I advise that you don't try without assistance. I suggest contacting your local legal aid office. you will find attorneys that can offer low cost and often even no cost assistance with getting this process done in an effective way.
I hope this helps.
Jobs for Ex-offenders and Felons: Sending resumes and Cover Letters
Jobs for Ex-offenders and Felons: Where can Ex-offenders Find Jobs
Jobs for Ex-offenders and Felons: Ten Steps to Getting a Job with a Criminal Record
Felon with college education needs a job
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John Lauria spends his working hours driving a truck loaded with cases of juice, tea and energy drinks.
It’s quite an about-face for the 49-year-old Rosemead man who spent 30 years in and out of prison for drug and burglary offenses.
Since his last release three years ago, Lauria struggled to find a solid job. But that changed in February when, seemingly against all odds, he was hired as a truck driver for Haralambos Beverage Co. in City of Industry.
“When I applied for the job I was honest with them,” Lauria said. He got the job and now earns $17 an hour.
Lauria owes his turnaround in part to a growing U.S. labor shortage. As the long-haul trucking industry scrambles to fill openings for drivers, more than 40 large operators have tapped an unlikely labor source — felons.
The American Trucking Associations says the industry needs another 51,000 drivers to keep pace with increased shipping demands from Amazon, Walmart and other mega-retailers. The demand has prompted an increasing number of trucking companies to give non-violent, ex-offenders a second look.
Steps to a new life
Making the leap from inmate to employee doesn’t happen overnight. Training, either in prison or soon after release, is a key part of the transition.
El Monte Truck Driving school in Irwindale is among those helping get felons to work. Louie Pena, who handles recruiting and placement there, said the school skips background checks as it’s well known the trucking industry is often a lifeline for people with criminal histories.
“When someone pays $4,000 to $8,000 for training … they wouldn’t put up that kind of money if they weren’t serious,” he said. John Kearney, CEO of Advanced Training Systems, said hiring felons makes sense, as these job candidates are especially eager to find work. Kearney’s Florida-based company makes virtual simulators used to train truck drivers.
“The concern is where you draw the line in terms of their record,” he said.
Case-by-case basis
Knight Transportation, a Phoenix-based trucking company with local facilities in Fontana and Rancho Cucamonga, hires felons. But they are heavily vetted, according to Vice President T.J. Presley.
Applicants are reviewed on a case-by-case basis, he said, which includes checking their recent and past history while also looking at where they are in life now.
“There are a lot of great people out there who just came upon bad times,” Presley said.
Knight doesn’t hire felons whose convictions were as recent as five years ago. But those who are hired make good money.
“Entry-level drivers earn somewhere in the mid-$40,000-to-$50,000 range, and seasoned drivers can earn six figures,” Presley said. “We see a lot of turnover in the trucking industry because people with good, clean driving records are in high demand.”
R&R Transportation in Greensboro, N.C., also hires felons — providing that their crimes were nonviolent.
“If someone has a criminal record because they were arrested for drugs, whether it was 25 years ago or five years ago, that doesn’t matter,” company President Karl Robinson said. “But I wouldn’t hire anyone who was convicted of murder or did sex crimes.”
Nine of the companies hire people with convictions that are 10 years old or more while others will consider applicants whose convictions occurred as recently as five years ago. Still, others hire on a case-by-case basis.
A good time to be looking
The current climate is good for felons in search of work, according to economist Chris Thornberg, a founding partner with Beacon Economics.
“The shortage of truck drivers is just one reflection of the broader economic situation,” he said. “There are more job openings right now across the economy than there are people who want to work. So people who didn’t have that chance three, four or five years ago now have a chance.”
But they have some catching up to do. The U.S. unemployment rate dropped to 4 percent in January, its lowest level in a decade, yet the jobless rate among the formerly incarcerated stood at 27 percent.
“Right now, if you have a record no one will hire you unless the company has a policy of accepting ex-offenders,” Kearney said. “There are plenty of people out there who have made mistakes in their lives but would have a tendency to go in the right direction if they had a job.”
Employment drives recidivism rates down
Landing a job also could keep felons from a return trip to prison.
More than half a million people are released from federal and state jails and prisons in the U.S. each year and about two-thirds will be rearrested within three years, according to the U.S. Bureau of Justice.
But a study by America Works and the Manhattan Institute shows recidivism rates dropped significantly for nonviolent offenders who found work shortly after leaving prison.
In prison-to-work programs in six cities across the country, states with overall recidivism rates of about 31 percent to 70 percent saw those rates plummet to as low as 3.3 percent for felons placed in jobs shortly after their release.
Ban the Box
California is among more than 30 states that have adopted a “ban the box” law. That prohibits private businesses with five or more workers from making pre-offer inquiries regarding a job applicant’s criminal history. Inquiries are allowed only after a conditional offer of employment is made.
Despite that law and a willingness on the part of many trucking companies to hire felons, driver shortages are still common. While R&R Transportation has 14 drivers and 13 trucks, Robinson said he’s always in the hole.
“You never have enough,” he said. “Once they get two years under their belt, other companies will hire them. You’re always going to have some attrition. But if you get the right person and they meld with the culture of the business, they will stay. It takes time to get good people.”
Lauria plans to become one of those “good” people. He hopes to gain a strong foothold in the trucking industry — and stay here.
“Getting this job is the best thing I ever did” he said. “Definitely.”
Trucking Jobs for Felons
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A criminal record shouldn’t always be a dealbreaker when it comes to hiring.
Martha Stewart. Johnny Cash. Mahatma Gandhi. Reese Witherspoon. Susan B. Anthony.
Each of these individuals garnered fame for their talents, be it on screen or in inciting significant social and cultural changes. What do they all have in common other than celebrity status?
They all have an arrest record.
Just hearing the term “ex-con” makes one think of fearsome beings that serve no use to society other than keeping a prison cell occupied. The thing is, one-third of working adults in the U.S. possess a criminal record, and not all of them fit the stereotype of a grizzled, unhinged, tattooed entity that we see in TV shows and movies. Some individuals had a terrible upbringing and turned their lives around behind bars, while others were in the wrong place at the wrong time.
Since humans are imperfect by nature, hiring managers and business owners ought to consider cutting some slack to those who have repaid their debt to society. All things considered, there are certain crimes that are more forgivable than others (i.e. petty larceny vs. first-degree murder). Depending on the nature of the crime, how long ago it occurred, and the industry an offender is looking to work in, hiring managers and business owners should keep an open mind when a prospective employee reveals a criminal history.
As it turns out, employing a felon has more benefits than you think:
An ex-con is less likely to re-offend when employed. By having a schedule and people depending on them to do a job, they’re less inclined to slip back into old habits.
Your organization could receive tax benefits for hiring someone with a record. The Work Opportunity Tax Credit is a Federal tax credit available to employers for hiring those who have difficulties gaining employment, such as possessing a criminal record.
They have intense vocational training. Many prisons provide job and educational programs that prepare them to reintegrate into society.
There is a lower turnover of personnel. They worked very hard to get a job with you in the first place, which means they’re going to work hard to keep it.
To an outsider, your company will be considered a beacon of hope to those who are looking to get their lives straightened out. It can take a lot of courage to give someone a second chance, and by doing so, it can humanize your business.
For those who have never been arrested, it’s easy to turn away someone with a stain on their record. However, just because a bad decision was made does not make an individual any less worthy of having something to offer society.
Recall those arrested individuals I listed above. Martha inspired us to find joy in decorating, crafting, cooking, and baking. Johnny was, and always will be, our Man in Black. Gandhi told us to be the change we wish to see in the world. Reese got us hooked on Big Little Lies and her Draper James dresses. Susan helped get American women the right to vote.
We all make mistakes. We all have something to offer in spite of our pasts. Let’s not be too quick to judge, shall we?
ATS’s John Kearney calls for sensible hiring practices, effective accelerated training, and national “ban the box” laws to make the most of an opportunity both for the trucking industry and for society.
According to the American Trucking Association, this country’s long-haul trucking industry needs about 51,000 more drivers than it currently has to meet demand for shipping capacity from companies like Amazon and Wal-Mart.[1] Meanwhile, the U.S. unemployment rate dropped to 4.0% in January, its lowest point in a decade and less than half of its recession-era level of October 2008.[2] “At the same time,” says John Kearney, CEO, Advanced Training Systems LLC, “there is a segment of the population looking eagerly for employment.” Kearney, whose company is a leading designer and manufacturer of virtual simulators for driver training, among other applications, adds, “Formerly incarcerated people, who currently have a 27% unemployment rate[3], are a largely untapped resource that could help the U.S. trucking industry fill its urgent need for new drivers.”
A frequently raised objection to hiring ex-offenders is the recidivism issue. More than half a million people are released from federal and state jails and prisons in the United States each year, and of those, according to the U.S. Bureau of Justice, about two-thirds will be rearrested within three years.[4] A joint study by America Works and the Manhattan Institute, however, notes Kearney, showed that recidivism rates dropped significantly for nonviolent offenders who became employed shortly after leaving prison. In prison-to-work programs in six cities across the country, in fact, in states with overall recidivism rates ranging from about 31% to 70%, the rates for those placed in jobs shortly after their release ranged from 3.3% to 8%.[5]
While a criminal record was once considered a knockout factor in evaluating a prospective employee in many jurisdictions, there is now a wide range of state and local regulations regarding the use of criminal records in offering or refusing employment. The practice of removing the criminal record question from employment applications is commonly called “Ban the Box.” In some places, Ban the Box regulations are applicable where the employee lives, and in others where they work is performed. Never, says industry consultant Lana Batts, do they apply to where the employer is domiciled. “The very nature of trucking,” says Batts, “makes compliance with a diverse grab-bag of Ban the Box rules a significant challenge; the trucking in industry, which keenly understands the costs of the driver shortage, needs a national Ban the Box solution applicable wherever a driver might find himself or herself in the course of completing a shipment.”[6]
Another important factor in integrating ex-offenders into the driving workforce, notes Kearney, is a reasonably streamlined training process. One important component of streamlining is the use of computerized simulation to familiarize new drivers with the proper way to handle situations too dangerous to attempt in conventional behind-the-wheel training.
“As with the shortage of school bus drivers,” says ATS’s Kearney, “also a growing source of concern[7], advanced training simulators offer an economical and highly effective approach to increasing the available supply of long-haul truckers. The technology can both reduce the cost of training and produce better, safer drivers.”
About Advanced Training Systems LLC:
Advanced Training Systems (ATS) is a high-tech simulator technology and engineering firm that has revolutionized the design and manufacture of advanced training systems to improve training and create safer drivers. ATS, the holder of multiple patents in high-tech training simulation, has as its mission to provide this cutting-edge adaptive training to all involved in the transportation industry at an affordable cost, resulting in safer drivers/operators. For more information, visit http://www.atstrainingsystems.com
1. Long, Heather, “America has a massive truck driver shortage. Here’s why few want an $80,000 job,” Washington Post, May 28, 2018. 2. “National Employment Monthly Update,” National Council of State Legislatures, February 1, 2019. 3. Straight, Brian, “In search of truck drivers, are felons the answer?” FreightWaves, October 24, 2018. 4. “Recidivism Rates ‘Unacceptably High,’ says Sessions,” The Crime Report, April 9, 2018. 5. Cove, Peter and Bose, Lee, “Immediate Access to Employment Reduces Recidivism,” Real Clear Politics, June 11, 2015. 6. Batts, Lana, “Opinion: Trucking Industry Needs ‘Ban the Box’ Solution,” Transport Topics, August 25, 2017. 7. Osunsami, Steve, “School-bus driver shortage across US sparks growing concern,” ABC News, August 15,
After
having many run-ins with the law, this entrepreneur vowed to help those who has
had a troubled past if they demonstrate that they want to turn their lives
around.
If you’d told me 15 years ago today I’d be leading and running a fast-growing company, I would’ve called you crazy.
I experienced, shall we say, a pretty rebellious youth. To put it more accurately, I was not a good kid. I was arrested 17 times before my 18th birthday and several more arrests throughout my twenties and early thirties. After many run-ins with the law, I had to make a choice: go to jail or serve in the military.
I took the latter option. Five years as a Navy deep sea diver gave me a newfound purpose. But I found myself on the wrong side of the law again when I went down the path of selling illegal anabolic steroids. When I finally decided to abandon that life to build Nutrition Solutions–I found myself standing before a judge waiting to receive sentencing for crimes that I’d committed three years earlier.
ON GETTING A SECOND CHANCE
The police prosecutor had recommended 24 months in state prison, and I walked into the courtroom that day not knowing if I would walk out on my own free will. What happened next was nothing short of a miracle, as the judge made a decision that allowed me to be where I am today. Although I had pleaded guilty for multiple felony charges, she decided not to send me to prison. Instead, she let me off with a one-year probation. She considered the strides I took to better my life and grow my business and recognized the efforts I had made to change for the better. That judge chose to see the best in me, despite my past circumstances.
I realized that not everyone in that position would have been as lucky. Many people who experience the criminal justice system won’t have the opportunity to prove themselves the way that I was able to. That day, I vowed to do everything in my power to help those with a troubled past, have hit rock bottom or who come from nothing to help them make positive transformations in their lives. Here’s what I learned.
SOMEONE’S HISTORY ISN’T AN ACCURATE INDICATION OF THEIR FUTURE
e have a massive problem with incarceration and re-entry in America. One in three Americans have a criminal record, and 60% of those are unemployed one year after being released. Getting a job with a criminal record is almost impossible. As Rick Wartzman previously wrote for Fast Company, many businesses see this as a sign of “the kind of workers that they’ll prove to be,” no matter how committed the individuals are to bettering themselves.
Having hired former felons myself, I can say for sure that a mark on your criminal record doesn’t mean you can’t succeed and make something of yourself. It’s true that you can’t escape your past, but those who have struggled with life-altering circumstances or a troubled past still can create a productive life for themselves and the people around them. Pain makes you stronger–and adversity teaches you valuable lessons that you will not forget. I’ve found with the proper training, structure, and support those with criminal records can become productive employees and thriving members of society.
THE BENEFITS OF FOCUSING ON CHARACTER AND VALUE
To be clear, I don’t give second chances to just anyone. I evaluate those with criminal records and/or a history of substance abuse on a case-by-case basis. Some acts and crimes don’t warrant a second chancexd5. The simple recipe for determining whether or not someone deserves another shot comes down to one element–whether or not that person has accepted full responsibility for their past actions.
Criminal record or not, you can judge a person’s character by the way they view their mistakes. Do they acknowledge it, or do they blame external circumstances? When they accept responsibility for the fact that they were the one who got themselves in that position, they also understand that they possess the ability to get themselves out.
Convicted felons and those who have served time in jail or prison also have been conditioned to living in very stressful environments and constantly being uncomfortable. This gives them a considerable advantage in the workplace when it comes to taking on new challenges, operating under pressure, and stepping out of their comfort zone. A lot of the times, the “uncomfortable situations” they may face at work are like Disney World compared to what they’ve lived through.
At Nutrition Solutions, we spend ample time strengthening each employee’s character, mindset, work ethic, and self-discipline through a mandatory personal development policy for every team member. Each day, we play motivational podcasts and e-books over the loudspeakers of the facility. We have a team briefing that includes 90 seconds of gratitude, and each team member hugs or shakes the hand of every other member. By focusing on the personal development of our team and recruiting those who are hungry for a second chance (sometimes their last), we’ve been able to grow the company more than 500% over the last three years.
A few short years ago, one of my closest friends, Lee Anderson, finished a six-year prison sentence. Throughout his time in prison, I always told him when he got out I would have a job for him and that we would do amazing things together. I picked him up that day and on the ride home, started immersing him in my sales calls to get him accustomed to the company and how we operate. Today, Lee is an incredibly high performer, serving as the director of client relations for Nutrition Solutions. He’s making a significant impact at our company, but more importantly he’s made extraordinary strides as a man, team member, husband, and father.
When your company culture and values spill over and impact your team’s personal lives positively, you know that the principles that you’re teaching at work are making a real difference. Not everyone will deserve a second chance, but I’ve learned it’s worth it to invest in those who have taken responsibility for their past mistakes and are hungry for an opportunity to create a better life for themselves and the people they care about.
Chris Cavallini is the founder of Nutrition Solutions, a lifestyle meal-prep company that provides healthy meals to clients globally.
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I’m an entrepreneur, and I believe in giving ex-felons a second chance
