Felons a protected class?

[RockofStrength]

San Francisco Considers Legal Protection for Criminals - FoxNews.com

It seems California's felons are having a hard time getting work owing to their past history, so the solution is to make them a protected class like Blacks, Jews, the disabled etc. This would also apply for their applications to apartments and other rented housing. Apparently this would prevent employers/landlords from being able to check their criminal history to determine if the person is a felon.

Setting aside the ridiculousness of protected classes themselves, this sounds completely stupid. An employer should not be forced to hire someone who might be a felon, nor a landlord forced to tolerate a criminal in their housing, without his knowing consent.

 

[eric001]

Yet another way for criminals to have more legal protection than victims in good ol' CA...

Cali might be a great place to visit, but I'd never want to live there!

 

[RockofStrength]

Yet another way for criminals to have more legal protection than victims in good ol' CA...

Cali might be a great place to visit, but I'd never want to live there!

It's not just california...apparently Wisconsin, among other states, have laws that are much the same though they focus more on the rental agreements than employment.

 

[gunman41mag]

So FELONS will have more rights than the hard working tax payer

 

[Westside]

this can't work. My job requires .gov security clearance which a felon can't have. so we have to run background checks and are not able to hire felons.

 

[RockofStrength]

this can't work. My job requires .gov security clearance which a felon can't have. so we have to run background checks and are not able to hire felons.

It's a state thing: I'm sure the federal government is exempted just like it always is.

 

[gunman41mag]

WHY reward felons, they did something evil to be a felon

 

[BarryJaxon]

San Francisco Considers Legal Protection for Criminals - FoxNews.com

It seems California's felons are having a hard time getting work owing to their past history, so the solution is to make them a protected class like Blacks, Jews, the disabled etc. This would also apply for their applications to apartments and other rented housing. Apparently this would prevent employers/landlords from being able to check their criminal history to determine if the person is a felon.

Setting aside the ridiculousness of protected classes themselves, this sounds completely stupid. An employer should not be forced to hire someone who might be a felon, nor a landlord forced to tolerate a criminal in their housing, without his knowing consent.

Not sayin I disagree with you,but,those guys do have to live and work somewhere,I don`t think the public would enjoy them hangin on the streets?Kinda a double edge sword as I see it

 

[gunman41mag]

Not sayin I disagree with you,but,those guys do have to live and work somewhere,I don`t think the public would enjoy them hangin on the streets?Kinda a double edge sword as I see it

They can work at Alcatras prison where they belong

 

[RockofStrength]

Not sayin I disagree with you,but,those guys do have to live and work somewhere,I don`t think the public would enjoy them hangin on the streets?Kinda a double edge sword as I see it

But an employer should have the right to know if they are criminals or not. It's not the government's (state or otherwise) place to say "well, we released a couple thousand criminals you are no longer able to check on. I hope your employees and customers enjoy working with felons, because you won't know if they are until they're hired, if ever!"

 

[Jake46184]

I use to see stories like this on forums and people would suggest that the Earthquake can't come soon-enough that dumps all of California into the ocean and I thought it seemed a bit extreme.

I don't anymore. The PRK is a lost cause. The sooner we start over, the better.

 

[rambone]

Felony, schmelony

I'm not in favor of government forcing private businesses to commit to contracts that they would not otherwise agree to.

However.

Felonies are encompassing more and more behaviors. Many felonies are totally disconnected from actual aggression or mal-intent towards another person. Not all felons are dangerous or evil. We have all sorts of people getting felonies who deserve a lesser charge or sometimes none at all.


Some examples;


75 years in prison for video taping a LEO

Texas mom gets felony for spanking her kid

College students face felonies for throwing snowballs

High school fights now considered a felony

Indiana Student faces 8 years in prison for placing blowup doll in restroom

Two 15-year-olds face felonies for transmitting a text message

Cory Maye spent 10 years in prison for defending his family

Killed by SWAT team for betting on football games

Middle-school kids criminally charged over text message

Woman's attempt to report abuse is met with Felony charge; Faces 15 years

Woman could face 20 years in prison for illegally enrolling child in public school

How $31 of pot gave mom a 10-year-prison sentence

Students face felony charges for downloading AIM and stuff on school computers

Boy faces felony charges over airsoft mishap



More horrific crimes that will get you a felony charge:

Owning a rifle with a barrel < 15.75"
Forgetting to leave your CCW at home when you go to the post office
Forgetting to leave your CCW at home when you go to Illinois
Copying a DVD
Possessing an eagle feather
Concealing a handgun in an OC-only state
OCing a handgun in a Conceal-only state

And... selling a mattress without a tag!

 

[IncendiaryGunner]

If a crime is so heinous that someone should not be on the street, let us execute them (after their speedy appeals, ofcourse).

If a crime is not serious enough for execution, and time is served - that should never stand in the way of gainful employment and labor.

Our system is broken in more ways than one. This is a ridiculous fix to a much deeper problem with our criminal justice system.

 

[j706]

San Francisco is the most jacked up city in the entire world. Nothing those idiots do or say would surprise me.

 

[Fletch]

Felonies are encompassing more and more behaviors. Many felonies are totally disconnected from actual aggression or mal-intent towards another person. Not all felons are dangerous or evil. We have all sorts of people getting felonies who deserve a lesser charge or sometimes none at all.

...

More horrific crimes that will get you a felony charge:

Owning a rifle with a barrel < 15.75"
Forgetting to leave your CCW at home when you go to the post office
Forgetting to leave your CCW at home when you go to Illinois
Copying a DVD
Possessing an eagle feather
Concealing a handgun in an OC-only state
OCing a handgun in a Conceal-only state

And... selling a mattress without a tag!

This. I love how everyone assumes felony = rape/robbery/murder.

Three Felonies A Day: How the Feds Target the Innocent

 

[orange]

First, like rambone posted. Felony doesn't mean the person is evil, or even guilty of any wrongdoing. Plenty of things rate felonies that shouldn't even be crimes - gambling, drug possession, others. Victimless crimes, mala prohibita and all that junk.

Second, if someone's released from prison that means they're done with their punishment, right? Why then keep punishing them with that record that'll make it difficult, or impossible, to get a job for the rest of their life? Sentencing somebody to 'five years imprisonment, plus poverty until you die' would be cruel and unusual if somebody actually came out and said it in court..

Third, how exactly are these people supposed to build some kind of lives, to reengage with society if they can't get jobs? How are they supposed to survive?
Live with family? What if they haven't got any? Live on welfare? Yeah, I'm sure that's going to be a popular idea. There's something horribly wrong with a system that encourages recidivism, encourages crime by giving people no other choice.

 

[Fletch]

There's something horribly wrong with a system that encourages recidivism, encourages crime by giving people no other choice.

Agreed... an argument I've made many times around here.

 

[hornadylnl]

Agreed... an argument I've made many times around here.

Don't think you aren't making a difference as you've influenced my opinions greatly.

 

[rambone]

Don't think you aren't making a difference as you've influenced my opinions greatly.

 

[NYFelon]