Getting out of prison is huge. You can put the indignities and lack of freedom of prison life behind you and reunite with your family and friends. But that doesn’t mean going back to civilian life is easy for someone with a criminal record.
Though you might have paid your debt to society years ago, most employers are reluctant to hire someone with a record. They often stereotype job applicants with a criminal history as unreliable, dangerous or likely to steal from the business.
Often, the only work available comes with low pay, no benefits and little (if any) chance of promotion. Whether you have a family to feed or just need to support yourself, being stuck in a dead-end job that doesn’t pay the bills is a frustrating experience, to say the least.
Government encouragement
Even with unemployment low and so many businesses looking to hire, job applicants with criminal records are still struggling. One possible solution is for the government to encourage companies to give these applicants a chance. In Minnesota, the state Department of Corrections offers bonds to employers to cover potential theft by employees with records. This assurance has convinced many employers to provide promising jobs to ex-felons.
Expungement is a way to help yourself get hired
Programs like this can help. But ultimately, the best thing you can do for yourself if you have a record is to seek to get it expunged as soon as you are eligible. With your criminal past erased, you would have a much easier time getting your career on track.