Felons and ex-convicts are usually under strict laws on voting and obtaining jobs after serving a sentence worldwide. This essay discusses the criminal justice laws of the United States on the hiring of ex-convicts and whether felons should exercise their civil rights of voting or not. In the PBS NewsHour video, William Brangham discusses the Ban-the-Box law, stating that employers should not ask potential applicants about their criminal history before hiring. The law argues that ex-convicts receive unfair treatment when applying for jobs regardless of their qualifications or the nature of the criminal offense. In conclusion, commentators agree on the scraping of the criminal record box but suggest that particular jobs will still require a criminal background check, especially in private organizations and small enterprises.
On the other hand, BEME news discusses the rights of felons to vote while in detention and after serving their term. Some states allow ex-convicts to vote while the majority are still reluctant to give ex-felons this right. While history indicates that denying felons the right to vote is a form of punishment termed ‘civil death,’ some activists argue that the whole concept is racial and political. Most felons are African-Americans who support the democrats’ political party. Therefore, the republicans may be afraid of allowing them to vote, which will change the political arrangement.
I think the Ban-the-Box law is the best way of creating employment opportunities for ex-convicts without discrimination. Criminal offenses vary in the degree of the crime, making it unfair to treat all ex-convicts the same. Moreover, some felons learn from their mistakes during detention and parole, creating a better and law-abiding citizen with the ability to work faithfully. This law also gives employers a chance to assess the skills and qualifications of ex-convicts before denying them an employment opportunity ensuring the best talents are not wasted because of a criminal record (Leacock, 2018). Alternatively, emphasis should be put on the degree of the criminal offense and the type of job opportunity in question. Regarding the voting of ex-convicts, I believe all citizens have the right to democracy which entails the civil right to vote. Civil laws regarding the rights of ex-convicts to vote should change with the changing times, which must disregard the ancient regulations like civil death laws. This is because all voices count, especially in the current multi-party system in most governments.
Reference
Leacock, S. (2018). To actually give a fair chance: “Ban the Box” laws and the “rational relationship” standard. American University Business Law Review, 7(3), 383-406.