when he is hiring his staff. His staff should not be asked any questions of prior criminal records either.

In my state quarterly state conducted background checks are required by statute in many professions...child care, senior living, schools, pharmaceuticals etc. It is a good idea. ..I wouldn't want it any other way and I am subject to these checks...

They don't have to ask the applicants and employers probably don't take their word for it even if they don't check the box.

Maybe job training programs and transitional employment entities would help.

The background services will be making more money.

i don't at all care for the way our "criminal justice" system works, especially given the way that, in practice, bigotry plays itself out repeatedly in our criminal code, enforcement, trials, and punishments, as well as post-punishment punishments, as the op notes.

the government absolutely should do more to improve the entire process, including improving how people fare post-incarceration.

the problem is always political, and the reality is that, if this were to become law, the minute some felon commits a crime in a workplace, particularly a violent crime, and even more particularly rape, then the media would go absolutely nuts over it and the law would be repealed in a matter of days.

so while i think the government has much work to do in this area, i think this idea, or at least this idea outside of a large package of reforms, is not a very good political strategy.

i am glad that someone is thinking about this, though. i'm sick of the throw-away-the-key mentality.

Cuomo proposed giving prisoners a college education and it got shot down quick.