Can a "felon" get a break?

and in response to the title of this thread "can a 'felon' get a break"......simple answer is......'NO'.

 

As an ex-con, with an extensive criminal history in the distant past (although, for the last twenty years I have been arrest-free, leading the life I should have led previously) I'd like to say the following: Companies need to be discriminating in evaluating potential new-hires. A criminal history, such as mine, cannot be over-looked and in many cases, wherein in the carrier commonly requires drivers to haul high-value loads, such as electronics and high-value merchandise, it is not unreasonable to dismiss an application based on felony convictions. As an example, I would say, God help the company that would be foolish enough to put me behind the wheel of a Brinks armored car. I have been law-abiding for the past twenty years; but, I can't honestly say that I could stand up to the daily temptation of having millions of dollars within my reach.

But, these types of loads make up a relatively small proportion of what drivers haul. How tempting is it to steal a load of toilet paper? Lettuce? Cardboard? Produce? And so on. In my opinion, an industry in short supply of qualified applicants, often find they are required to hire less experienced drivers, due to inflexible company policies wherein a felony automatically eliminates applicants, without consideration of the nature of the offense. As PharmPhail points out, in one State it is a felony to litter (let's say Utah). Is a person with a conviction for littering in Utah, still a felon after crossing into Nevada? How does the act of littering affect one's ability to operate a truck; and, in what way does it reflect upon ones character and/or honesty. Yet, blanket company policies would deny this person consideration for employment, despite the fact that he/she may have 20 yrs. of unblemished commercial driving experience.

Any difficulties encountered by myself due to criminal history are part of the price for my lack of good judgment. But, I feel that those who lead, and have led, a productive, law abiding life, and whose only desire is to be a provider for their families; and, who are then denied that opportunity due to a single indiscretion; have every right to feel that they are being unfairly denied consideration. If those that find themselves in a position wherein they are required to evaluate the character and morals of another; you would hope that they would do so with the understanding that these decisions are not 'Black' and 'White", 'Good' or 'Bad'.

Lastly, while I have stated that, in my opinion, the people of which I refer to, have been unfairly judged. Not one OP, in my recollection has made that claim! The purpose of the posts I have read have simply been to gain an understanding of how a felony impacts hiring decisions and what their chances are of successfully finding employment as an OTR driver. In responding, I found it unavoidable to disclose much about my past that I would have rather kept private. I do sincerely regret the harm suffered by others as a result of my actions. In doing so, it was my hope that I could offer hope to discouraged newbies having difficulties due to felony convictions. It was my hope that, with a past as extensive as mine, through disclosure, I would gain the credibility necessary to make a convincing argument, that: You CAN do this! If you want to drive, it's well within your reach---Just get out there and do it! Just don't let the Voice of Ignorance deter you. There will always be cynics ready to judge. You just need to know that they represent a very minuscule proportion of the industry; a large proportion have no opinion one way or the other, and a very significant number will have the compassion and understanding that people make mistakes and you can recover from them. This thread is a forum for a discussion about a topic that affects far more drivers than you might imagine. It is regrettable that the title does, in no way, reflect the content of this thread. I don't recall a single OP that was looking for a 'Break', just driver's trying to gain a better understanding of how felonies are considered in the process of evaluating applicants. In the trucking industry you'll find that while 'experience' is often in short supply---There is always an over-abundance of ignorance!

 

Wrong...........

I had a felony against me years ago, and I have a trucking job. Doing quite well too, making money. Most companies won't give a break, but there are some out there that will. I'm not proud of what I did in the past, however I have proven that a man can change his ways, if he really wanted to.....

Life is good right now and I plan on keeping it this way.....

 

All right man, we get that you're smart. I've spent years reading ridiculous texts and mining them for their base intent, but I have to say your highly stylized, painstakingly punctuated writing makes me weary.

Admit this, your approach depends entirely on employers who feel as I do. You simply search and shrug off the rejection until you find one.

I don't feel it is unimportant in a competitive hiring process, but these people must have a way to reintegrate into society having already been punished by the appropriate authorities. This cycle we perpetuate is as much employers fault as the lack of legal choices ex-cons have to survive.

Otherwise, simply state that any criminal conviction is in essence a life sentence: Some in jail, and the rest homeless or burdening family members who haven't done anything wrong.

But the crux here is that I like to believe people can and will change given the opportunity combined with a previous negative experience as a result of poor judgement.

Even a rat will not return to the button that shocks given another way. However, if there is no alternative to getting food, they'll go back to it anyway.

 

Thanks for the support. It's important for drivers to offer others encouragement, especially drivers like yourself relatively new to trucking providing proof that it's doable by means of accomplishment rather than advice, well-intended though it may be. Good luck!

 

You're right, and I apologize. I've taken this way to personal and wondered myself if I wasn't doing exactly that which you refer to. As for style of writing, in the past I worked for several years as a Legal Assistant and once you develop a style of writing it's difficult to alter. If I came off like I was trying to impress; I wasn't.

But, when you say, "Even a rat will not return to the button that shocks given another way. However, if there is no alternative to getting food, they'll go back to it anyway." I wish more people realized that denying those alternatives is not the answer.

Again, sorry if I beat this to death, it just got away from me.

 

Dynosaur, don't apologize. You've given people a lot to think about, and I commend you for turning your life around.

Folks, you might want to think about how many things are felonies these days. Two dudes throw down in a bar? The cops used to show up, break up the fight, and tell them both to go home and sober up. A guy has to take a whiz on the side of the road? Who cares--don't look. Someone has a girlfriend who's a bit underage? They may have gotten a butt-whoopin' by the girl's father, but that was the end of it.

Now, the first example is 'Felony Assault' and the last two will get you labelled a 'Sex Offender'(also a felony). It's gotten ridiculous. Even fudging on your log is a felony--and if the feds decide to make an example of you, you're a felon. Welcome to the Nanny State.

I'd be more concerned with the nature of the crime than whether it's considered a 'felony' or not. The law has become so diluted as to be a joke. Sad, but true.

 

Exactly! I've been saying that for years.

 

I appreciate your post, but I do have a tendency to get up on a soapbox. But, when I see an OP with 0-1 years experience tell another with 0-1 years that he has no right to drive a truck because of a bar fight, I have a tendency to over-react. Sometimes I read something and think, "WHAAAATT???" And start pounding keys. I have no doubt that my writing style has about the same effect as a driver, at a truckstop, stepping down from his truck decked out in a three-piece suit. I don't talk the way I write, it's just that some words are just the right fit, but string enough or them together and it sounds like you're lecturing. So, I don't take offense to what PharmPhail had to say. As for smart? I don't know, it took four prison terms, a total of about 17 yrs., to teach me that I wasn't very good at what I did.

About your point regarding felonies. The latest statistics I could find for number of felony conviction in a given year, was 2004. In that year, 1,447,000 Americans were convicted of a felony. We commit felonies and aren't aware of it. Copying a DVD movie, or song, is a felony punishable by up to 5 years in a Federal prison

 

My... slow learner were you? LOL.

I agree with you that we have far too many laws on the books concerning what constitutes a "felony" these days.

I am also a person that believes that once a person has paid their debt to society, that all rights should be automatically restored. Right to vote, right to own firearms etc...

Otherwise what is the point of even pretending that our legal system is about "rehabilitation"?

If a person made a stupid error in judgement when he was 20, why should he have to spend the rest of his life paying for it, by being barred from ever obtaining decent employment etc?