Should a Criminal Record eventually "go away"?

[JennyMominRI]

Um.... What crazy liberal has dawn tied up and is posting under her SN?



This liberal thinks a Murder should always be a murderer...Some crimes should never go away.

 

[mefordis]

DawnCt1 I usually find myself agreeing with you or at least understanding where you're coming from, but in this case . He MURDERED someone. That he could do something so horrible at such a tender age just makes it WORSE in my opinion. It sure as HE!! doesn't make an excuse for it. And spending 12 years in prison for ending a life? That is a complete joke! He hasn't payed his debt. There is no way he ever can. I don't think he should be out of prison, let alone be given a whole new bright shiny life with no record.

Sorry, but I think when you've done something so heinous your life should be forfeit. Since he was so young the death penalty isn't appropriate (I guess) but he shouldn't EVER be allowed to just get on with his life like what he did can just be forgotten. It doesn't matter how nice, polite, and hardworking he is.

It is attitudes like this that create vigilantes and all the chaos that ensues. I know if it was MY son that was taken away forever and his killer then set free to "live as normal a life as possible,the poor boy" I would be waiting with a gun.

No, two wrongs don't make a right but there is no way knife boy would be walking around under the warm sun while my child was cold in the ground. That is not justice. Sorry.

No kidding!!! I think we are seeing Dawn's far left, liberal side come out! And in the worst possible way. Double
I can't believe the murderer is on the streets! I would NEVER hire someone like that and I should definitely as an employer know that he murdered someone.

 

[Laugh O. Grams]

Um.... What crazy liberal has dawn tied up and is posting under her SN?

The smart money's on either Alec Baldwin or Sean Penn...

 

[lillygator]

The more I think about this the more sick I get....just following recent cases of sex offenders, who were "given second chances", who have now taken lives ~ I mean come on. At the age of 15 you may be hot headed and alot of things but you certainly have the choice to kill or end the situatuion another way....what makes that go away...?

 

[Cool-Beans]

If it is something stupid like public intox, I think that it should "fall off" at some point.

A guy who "happened to have a knife and stabbed him to death"...that should follow you. It ought to be tattooed across the face, "stabbed a guy to death."

I actually think that if you take someone's car, you should be in jail for 10 years. If you kill someone, you shouldn't ever get out.

 

[Laugh O. Grams]

I actually understand the gist of Dawn's OP. America is a country where it's perceived that everyone gets a second chance, and there have been many people who have committed heinous crimes and have worked to prevent others from following in their footsteps. However, murder is a tough one for most people to forgive and forget, even when done at such a young age. Although they may have done their time and are living a good, clean life, I don't believe that a crime such as murder on one's record would, or should, ever be allowed to simply "go away"...

 

[DISUNC]

Since this guy served time for this...I will assume he didnt stab the other person out of self defense!

I think this guy is "lucky" to be out of Prison! He should STILL be in prison.

Stabbing someone is one of the most heinous & vicious crimes to perform. Its up close & very personal! A very demented act!

I agree with CoolBeans that "KNIFED SOMEONE TO DEATH" should be tattoed on his forehead.

 

[magicmato]

I wonder if the OP would be questioning it if it was some stranger instead of a "very nice man" her son knows. Would the OP care if it was some tough looking, tattoo'd person instead of someone who was "cleaning their life up"?

Sorry, I could care less if he became a priest and spent the rest of his life doing good. It is between him and God what happens after this life, but there is no way he should not have that follow him. If he could "happen" to have a knife and use it once, it could "somehow happen" again and any employer has the responsibility to provide a safe environment for employees and customers alike.

I would quit if I found out one of my co-workers was a violent felon. I would be too concerned that if I got on their wrong side, they could do something that a normal, non-violent felon may not do. Once they have "gone off", I think there will always be the possibility they could do it again.

 

[JoyG]

What if a person had a felony for attempted grand theft (no weapon involved). They received probabtion, no jail time. It happened when they were young and stupid (but over 18). They've never been in any trouble since then. Should that follow them forever?

I ask because I have someone very close to me in that situation. Finding jobs is hard for him b/c although they say employers might give someone a chance even with a conviction...the reality is they never do. Checking the "yes" box is an automatic rejection.

 

[DisneyDotty]

What if a person had a felony... They've never been in any trouble since then. Should that follow them forever?

Finding jobs is hard for him b/c although they say employers might give someone a chance even with a conviction...the reality is they never do. Checking the "yes" box is an automatic rejection.

This is my concern. Why let someone who committed a felony like murder back out in the streets if we don't also give that person a chance to better his life and perhaps the lives of others? If we condemn a person to a meaningless low wage job the rest of his life, can we really expect him to stay out of trouble?
It seems like a no-win situation. What is this 30-year going to be doing in another 20 years, after having barely gotten by? Will he be a help or a further hindrance to society?

 

[eclectics]

What if a person had a felony for attempted grand theft (no weapon involved). They received probabtion, no jail time. It happened when they were young and stupid (but over 18). They've never been in any trouble since then. Should that follow them forever?

I ask because I have someone very close to me in that situation. Finding jobs is hard for him b/c although they say employers might give someone a chance even with a conviction...the reality is they never do. Checking the "yes" box is an automatic rejection.

It's a tough call, but sometimes we make life altering decisions in our lives and no matter how much we regret it later, you can't turn the clock back. He made a conscious decision to do what he did and sadly, he is paying for it now.

 

[DisneyDotty]

It's a tough call, but sometimes we make life altering decisions in our lives and no matter how much we regret it later, you can't turn the clock back. He made a conscious decision to do what he did and sadly, he is paying for it now.

You mean, we're ALL paying. In unemployment/welfare/low income housing/uninsured drivers...

But I'm not sure what the solution is.

 

[yeartolate]

No kidding!!! I think we are seeing Dawn's far left, liberal side come out! And in the worst possible way. Double

No kidding!!!!

 

[mking624]

You know if it was something like he stole a candy bar from a convenience store, sure, I could see that "dropping off" a record at some point in time.

However, regardless of how the man might feel about it today, he murdered someone. That's not exactly something to be taken lightly. I unnderstand that it makes it difficult for him today and he may have really changed his life. But you know what, he still has his life, no matter how much it has changed. He took someone else's life who never had the chance to grow up like he did. Now he's living the consequences of his choice. At 15, he knew right from wrong. He chose wrong, and now he's paying for it. I bet that if it were your DS murdered, you wouldn't think that he should have it expunged from his record.

And who is to say that his temper won't once again blow up?

 

[DawnCt1]

DawnCt1 I usually find myself agreeing with you or at least understanding where you're coming from, but in this case . He MURDERED someone. That he could do something so horrible at such a tender age just makes it WORSE in my opinion. It sure as HE!! doesn't make an excuse for it. And spending 12 years in prison for ending a life? That is a complete joke! He hasn't payed his debt. There is no way he ever can. I don't think he should be out of prison, let alone be given a whole new bright shiny life with no record.

Sorry, but I think when you've done something so heinous your life should be forfeit. Since he was so young the death penalty isn't appropriate (I guess) but he shouldn't EVER be allowed to just get on with his life like what he did can just be forgotten. It doesn't matter how nice, polite, and hardworking he is.

It is attitudes like this that create vigilantes and all the chaos that ensues. I know if it was MY son that was taken away forever and his killer then set free to "live as normal a life as possible,the poor boy" I would be waiting with a gun.

No, two wrongs don't make a right but there is no way knife boy would be walking around under the warm sun while my child was cold in the ground. That is not justice. Sorry.

I don't disagree with you at all. I am posing this as a question and trying to look at both sides of the issue.

 

[DawnCt1]

This is my concern. Why let someone who committed a felony like murder back out in the streets if we don't also give that person a chance to better his life and perhaps the lives of others? If we condemn a person to a meaningless low wage job the rest of his life, can we really expect him to stay out of trouble?
It seems like a no-win situation. What is this 30-year going to be doing in another 20 years, after having barely gotten by? Will he be a help or a further hindrance to society?

I think that is the question. I don't know what the answer is. I agree with those who would be uncomfortable working with him and would want to know. Taking a life is not stealing a car or the results of a mistake. On the other hand, not being able to dig yourself out of a hole EVER, can have consequences for society at large. I certainly wouldn't want my daughter (I don't have one) meeting and dating him. I would worry every moment of my life no matter how nice he "cleans up".

 

[mking624]

This is my concern. Why let someone who committed a felony like murder back out in the streets if we don't also give that person a chance to better his life and perhaps the lives of others? If we condemn a person to a meaningless low wage job the rest of his life, can we really expect him to stay out of trouble?
It seems like a no-win situation. What is this 30-year going to be doing in another 20 years, after having barely gotten by? Will he be a help or a further hindrance to society?

Having a meaningless low wage job for the rest of his life isn't an excuse to get back into trouble, so yes, I think we can expect him to stay out of trouble if he is truly sincere about changing his life around. There are plenty of people in this world who have lived their entire lives in those types of jobs but don't wind up breaking the law. A job doesn't determine one's ability to control himself.

Will it be frustrating for him? Sure. But he murdered someone...he made the conscious decision to end someone's life. It really doesn't matter how bothered he is by the consequences...perhaps he should have taken that into consideration before he chose to kill someone. At least he gets the chance to work...the same cannot be said for the person he killed.

 

[DawnCt1]

Having a meaningless low wage job for the rest of his life isn't an excuse to get back into trouble, so yes, I think we can expect him to stay out of trouble if he is truly sincere about changing his life around. There are plenty of people in this world who have lived their entire lives in those types of jobs but don't wind up breaking the law. A job doesn't determine one's ability to control himself.

Will it be frustrating for him? Sure. But he murdered someone...he made the conscious decision to end someone's life. It really doesn't matter how bothered he is by the consequences...perhaps he should have taken that into consideration before he chose to kill someone. At least he gets the chance to work...the same cannot be said for the person he killed.

And that is the other side of the issue that also makes perfect sense. This issue came up last year when port security was discussed. There are a lot of longshore men and dock workers who are convicted felons and were in jeopardy of losing their jobs. Again, that is the consequences of committing a felony but on the other hand, do we really need a lot of unemployed felons? Its not always an easy question to answer. I think that someone who murders or commits manslaughter can "go forth and sin no more". I don't believe for a moment that child molesters can. I am sure some do but I wouldn't want one living next door to me.

 

[phillybeth]

In terms of jobs, employers are much more at risk from so-called "white-collar" criminals that commit fraud, pass bad checks, embezzle, etc. But yet these are the ones most likely to be hired since their crimes were non-violent, even if they are non-expungable felonies.

In a way, I see your point to a certain extent. Some of these people are just trying to get on with their lives and get past the terrible things that they did. But really, that's a very small percentage. Violent criminals have a re-offend rate of over 85% in the first year.

 

[DisneyMommyMichelle]

A felony should NOT be wiped clean! This guy KILLED someone!! No way!