Thought-Provoker: allowing ex-offenders a second chance

Many individuals proudly proclaim they aren't racist nor hold prejudice toward LGBTI persons, and are all for gender equality etc., yet, these same individuals might freely discriminate against those who have a criminal history. In fact, this phenomenon is not uncommon among even those claiming to be progressive thinking. Certainly, right-wing policy makers and constituents view discriminatory treatment of ex-offenders as just and appropriate. This is a classic example of State-sanctioned discrimination.

One challenge put to my argument that ex-offenders should not be discriminated against when it comes to being able to travel, obtain worthwhile employment and appropriate housing etc. is that those who've committed criminal acts are just habitually bad people who've made a conscious decision to engage in criminal conduct. This might be the case for a small minority of criminal offenders, however, for many who've fallen foul of the law, this counter-argument is nonsense.

The broader environment and social conditions to which we are exposed are powerful determinants of who we are---how we think and behave. For example, exposure to an environment where criminal behavior is normalized, along with delayed development and poor problem solving skills due to dysfunctional parenting, is likely to predispose those with no otherwise underlying criminal tendencies, toward criminal behavior. Really, such individuals are victims of their social circumstances and subgroup normative expectations. Individuals with complex mental illness might also fall foul of the law from time to time.

Many people think that ex-offenders are pressure cookers ready to again let loose on society when they can no longer contain a motivation to re-offend. But this is not the case---criminal behavior is often the result of adverse social circumstances and poor problem solving skills. Together, this might lead to a behavioral incident when confronted by a very specific situation at a particularly vulnerable point in one's life. Therefore, a repeat of the criminal act or one like it, is unlikely.

Those with a single criminal conviction committed several years previously (even a serious conviction) or a series of convictions over a short time-frame committed several years previously, should not be discriminated against. This is because the period of non-offending since that time point is indicative of subsequent behavioral change.

Instead of repeatedly kicking these individuals when they are down, it's in everyone's best interest to not only let them re-integrate without hostility or prejudice, but actually work toward facilitating their re-integration. Many persons with criminal records have turned, or are trying to turn their lives around and are worthy of taking their rightful place beside those who've never offended---or at least have never been caught.

Habitual recidivists, of course, are another more challenging concern requiring special considerations.