The vast majority of all offenders who are sentenced to prison will be released at some point. Most offenders want to live law-abiding, productive lives upon release, but often face significant obstacles in housing and employment.
In most states, employers may lawfully discriminate against ex-offenders when making hiring decisions, even when the job sought by the ex-offender has no reasonable relationship to the person's offense of conviction. That is unfair, and bad policy.
President Obama should issue an executive order barring federal agencies and contractors from using a prior conviction to preclude employment where the prior conviction has no reasonable, direct relationship to the job being sought by the ex-offender.
Brandon Sample
Prisoner Advocate
www.brandonsample.com