Best College Careers For Felons (Complete 2024 Guide)
While there are many different college careers for felons, you should think about what jobs will be available to you after you finish your degree.
The right college degree or technical training can greatly boost your chances of getting a high paying job if you have a felony.
For example, ex felons have a very hard time getting jobs in the medical field, such as doctors, nurses, physician’s assistants, etc.
Most jobs in the fields of psychiatry and psychology are also rarely available, with the exception of a substance abuse counselor.
Similarly jobs in education, finance, as well as law are generally not open to felons. The majority of licensing boards will not grant a license to a felon, even if you have the appropriate degree.
Top college degrees for felons
If you have a felony conviction and are considering pursuing a higher education so you can get a better paying job, choose your career carefully.
This guide will help you figure out what type of education you should pursue, colleges you can apply to, as well as possible career options that don’t require a degree or professional training.
First – answer the following questions:
– Did you steal money or property? If so, you can’t do accounting, or any other finance/banking related job.
– Did you drink an drive and kill someone? Well, here you have to rule out degrees that lead to jobs where you have to drive people around.
The main thing to remember is that most companies will want you to be a back-end employee. This means that you will most likely not be given responsibilities where you would have to deal directly with customers, sensitive information, or money.
Of course you should also think about your own talents, current skills and interests. For example, if you have limited mathematical abilities, you probably should not pursue high-tech jobs.
Computer science / programming
One of the best degrees you can get is computer science. There is a real shortage and a huge demand for quality developers and software engineers.
This is especially the case if you live on the East Coast (Boston, New York, DC, Maryland), on the West Coast (Seattle, San Francisco, Silicon Valley, Los Angeles, San Jose), or in any major metropolitan area around USA.
Software developers can get starting salaries at $60K or more, even with a degree from a 2nd tier school (most state colleges/universities and even community colleges). Overall, the IT sector offers the most high paying jobs for felons.
Given your criminal background, it may be possible to get a job by negotiating a slightly lower starting salary, if the employer “closes their eyes” on your conviction.
Mobile computing and app development
This is one of the most rapidly growing niches within the broad field of computer science. More and more people around the world have smart phones and tables, so there is an ever growing demand for programmers that deal with mobile data and services.
Developing new apps (including games) for both Android and Apple platforms is a particularly hot field.
Today, app developers easily earn salaries of $70,000-85,000 a year, or more.
Data base support and analysis
This is another highly lucrative degree with a very promising job outlook. More and more companies require dedicated data base analysts, cloud storage programmers and specialists. As governments, and corporations rely more and more on cloud-based data, there will be a growing demand for professionals who can provide support and run all related operations.
Salaries in this sector start at $45,000-55,000 a year , but senior data base analysts can earn as much as $130,000-160,000 a year.
Game design
You probably love playing video games on your phone or computer, right? Well, someone created and coded this game and got paid for it:) This is another very popular field in software development, and jobs will continue to increase in the coming years.
Starting salaries range from $65,000-80,000 per year.
Freelance work (no background checks, work from home)
The good news is that even if you can’t find a job at a company, having programming skills opens a ton of freelance job opportunities online. You can do contracting / outsourcing work on platforms like Upwork / Odesk / Elance, Guru.com and many other similar short term job market places.
Most “employers” on these websites PREFER American developers over Asian / Indian / Eastern European programmers. But Americans are often MUCH more expensive. So as a developer in the US, you can charge lower prices in the beginning, and then build up your resume/portfolio and raise your fees.
Best of all – there are NO background checks when you do outsource / freelancing work!
Here is Entrepreneur.com top 15 freelance websites list for you to see where you can find freelance jobs.
Missing from this list is Fiverr, but I would not recommend this, as it’s mostly commodity work with low payouts.
Note 1 – Upwork, Elance and Odesk is now the same company.
Note 2 – I’m not a fan of Freelancer.com – they are not very good in conflict resolution, and have some B/S recurring charges that can wipe out you earnings … so be aware of those if you want to give it a try. But I’d recommend to stay away.
See our full guide on how to become a freelancer:
Freelancing has NO BACKGROUND checks!
I’ve personally used Upwork/Elance and Freelancer to hire people to do work for me … I would strongly suggest Upwork, out of these two. But definitely also check out other sites on the list!
If you don’t have the skills, you can obviously take necessary college courses / certificate programs or learn the skills you need with very inexpensive video tutorials on Udemy.
Engineering
Both computer and mechanical engineering are very promising degrees for someone with a felony. You can eventually work in a factory, programming and building robots instead of operating them, making a decent income.
These jobs are currently in very high demand, and the more you learn, the more companies will want you to work for them.
Once again – you can do outsourced work as an engineer on the same websites as programmers use (Upwork / Odesk / etc).
Professional engineers get average pay of $65,000-90,000 per year to start, and usually earn over $110,000 after working for over five years.
Robotics and automation services
This is a growing sub-field in engineering, because in the 21st century the use of robots and automation is becoming a part of everyday life. Most companies use robots and smart machines to cut down on the costs of human labor and increase efficiency. Consequently, there is a huge demand for people who will design these machines, and provide technical support on the ground.
This field has a very large job pool, with salaries starting at $50,000 per year and all the way to $120,000 for high-end engineers.
Environmental conservation
If math and computers are not your cup of tea, you can consider a job in the booming environmental sector.
Since there is more awareness about the need to preserve our environment and work out protocols for conservation, companies are hiring professionals to spearhead these efforts. There are both private and government jobs available.
Average pay is $45,000-60,000 per year.
Architecture
Becoming an architect is a great option if you are interested in construction and design. There are tracks for commercial or residential architecture and many niches within this broad field. Starting salaries are $60,000-75,000 and the job outlook is very good, especially in large metropolitan areas.
Car / truck / equipment mechanic
A mechanic is more of a trade / specialized degree or training, but many community colleges offer these programs. Mechanic jobs pay anywhere from $15 to 30 per hour.
Since there is little to no customer interaction, many companies are willing to hire felons – especially privately owned garages and repair shops, as well as small manufacturers.
So this is an excellent line of work for felons, with “better” pay and many employment options!
The main thing to keep in mind is that you CAN get a degree, if you wish. Education or training will help you get further in life. Just make sure you have a clear plan for the type of work you want to pursue after you are done with your education.
Careers felons should avoid
While someone with a felony CAN get the following degrees, finding a job in one of these fields will be nearly impossible.
Also, keep in mind that if you take out a loan to pay for college, you will need to pay it back, and that will be very hard if you don’t get the job you were hoping for.
- Medical/Hospitals/Pharmacy
- Hospitality
- Education
- Sports training
- Law
- Finance/banking
- Massage / Therapy / etc
- Any line of work with customer/client interaction
Colleges accepting felons
Once you figure out what type of degree you want to get, the next step is which college you should attend. Many felons worry that their criminal background will prevent them from being accepted into an accredited college. The good news is that its not true and most colleges, technical and trade schools do accept people with felonies.
Some colleges ask about an applicant’s criminal background on the application, others avoid this question all together. If your college application has this question, you should be honest about your past. Most schools will not turn you down on the basis of previous convictions.
Admissions officers review each application as a whole and make a determination on a case by case basis. Many institutions of higher learning believe that felons deserve a second chance and are willing to enroll them into an appropriate program.
However, if your criminal history consists of serious violence, assault, sexual misdemeanors and drug sales you will not be admitted to an on-campus program at many colleges.
If you are worried about being turned down because of your felony, consider online college degrees and certificate programs. These are more lenient in terms of the candidates they accept.
In addition, online education offers more flexibility in class scheduling, you don’t have to be physically present on campus, and a lot of studying happens at your own pace.
Moreover, online degrees are often a lot cheaper than the same degree you would get from a college or university. If you plan to pursue a bachelor’s degree, expect to pay $12,000-18,000 per year for an accredited online program.
Top accredited online schools
SNHU (Southern New Hampshire University)
Strayer University
Ashford University
Walden University
Oregon Institute of Technology
Saint Leo University
LeTorneau University
Elmhurst College
King University
Alternative Work Options For Felons Without A College Degree
If the prospect of getting a professional degree does not excite you, there are many jobs an ex-felon can get without going to college.
Check out our list of over 200 companies that hire felons without prior experience or education. There is usually minimal on-the-job training provided, many part-time and full-time opportunities and you can start right away.
The best places to look for these jobs are: Craigslist, Indeed.com and Ziprecruiter.com. If you are wondering about how much a particular job pays, as well as its pros and cons, a good place to look for this information is on Glassdoor.com.
Also, its a good idea to sign up with local temp agencies, as they can also help felons find good jobs.
Out of prison, your goal should be to get into a job, whatever it may be. Once you start working and have a steady pay check coming in you will get a major self-esteem boost and worry a lot less about money (especially if you have a spouse and kids).
At that point, you can catch your breath and start setting long-term career goals for yourself. Even if you don’t want to go to college or get a professional degree today, this may change one or two years from now.
If this article has helped you out in anyway please share it on your social media, or email it to others who are struggling to get work. Together we can help felons find out what college degrees and jobs they should pursue.
About The Author
Joe Hunter
Joe is the founder of HireFelons.org. Having had friends and co-workers who have a felony conviction, Joe Hunter decided to use his expert knowledge in starting a successful business to launch HireFelons.org and teach as many former felons as possible how to earn a decent income, when finding a traditional job is simply not an option.
Trust in the Lord.I am taking college courses in criminal justice with a human services concentration.I am not trying to be a police officer or any position in law enforcement.I am more interested in the human services aspect.I trust in the Lord that He will put me in the position to help someone going through the similar struggles I went through.I am a convicted felon with an extensive criminal background, but I cannot let that deter me.I don’t want my past stuggles to be for nothing.There are kids without guidance and that usaully ends up bad for the children.Us as felons who have been to prison can be an important aspect to certain areas that help the ones that have lost there way but not to latw to save.Remember its1 not about us anymore its about giving back and helping someone not make those bad decisions that can affect their lives.We felons have alot to offer but we have to jump over obstacles to position ourselves to where we can help someone.God has a plan for all of us.Put your faith in Him and he will put you into contact with the proper people to help you accomplish your goals. It’s never to late.Put wisdom with education and you have a force to be reckoned with .Never give up.I am 48 years old and God has given me my purpose in life and I will not let anything get in the way of His plan for me.Dont depend on people to help you move forward in life ,just follow that little voice in your head and it tella you something good and positive it’s the holy spirit talking to you.Negativity is the devil.In order to feel the true meaning of winning you have to lose sometimes
Not just felons. 20 yr misdemeanors 45 county days max . Texas is bad. Oklahoma and a few others have changed thier laws. May have to move
Are you people serious? Come on .. now your make felons look like we don’t have common sense .. THIS IS OUR CONSCIENCES !! Hello!! Except it!! Seriously put yourself in the shoes of the person doing the hiring .. there is lots of completion of every job .. felon or not!! So if there are lots of capable people after one job who are you going to start weeding out first?? The People like is who have already proven at least once that we were unable to handle our own shit and function properly in society .. COMMON SENSE PEOPLE
2 years ago I did the stupidest mistake by getting in a relationship with a minor, I was 21. I’m now doing cpac and probation for 3 years. I’m a registered offender, I can’t get a decent job, not even mcdonalds. I had been doing nursing for 4 years and thats all now down the drain. I can’t afford a decent car or housing. I can’t even be involved in my baby daughters life or be around kids, parks, etc. I owe so much in fees. I’ve never had a criminal record, I have a good heart. Is there anything that I can study? I wish people could see that, God won’t even listen to me. I’m so ready to call it quits and end this.
I’m a felon with several misdemeanors, I was severely addicted to drugs for several years which caused all of this. (clean now for going on 5years) I have been bartending/serving for almost 3 years at a great place, that now would give me a phenomenal reference on top of other great references. I have a 1 1/2 year old daughter which is the reason I want to go back to college!! I love bartending at the place I work & I make extremely good money with great hours& looking at a degree I’m probably taking at least a pay cut of half yearly! However I want benefits & etc etc with a college degree.. Nobody is gonna stop you, but you… I’ve looked into to several different degrees & none of which say you cant be a felon. do the homework & the footwork. Life is great you can always do what you may love even if you avoid the truth just long enough to get you foot in the door. Just try sometimes a little more, that at least has worked well for me. I now have great references lawyers, fireman, cops, etc.
I’m 38 ownd my own small business for 10 yrs made a living decided I just want to work have a consistent income I apply for usps , petco styler … they pull my criminal record ask me if I want a copy….out of curiosity -sure! I’ve never been in trouble: soo …I thought 🙁 over 12 year period every ticket classified as a misdemeanor 4 out 8 tickets speeding 10 miles above posted speed limit….. Who knew tickets would land you a criminal record?!?? I can’t even be an uber driver further more get a job taking out trash. It’s unjust! Life is like crabs in a barrel always pulling you back. Hells makes you wanna give up
If anyone here needs an information just ask i can send you a lot of info on this topic and help point you in the right direction. Society generally shuns felons, I have worked for many different places and do not say a word until I feel comfortable, then when I do they are a completely different person. People do not understand nor do they care to understand, they just judge to make themselves feel better. Remember this that after these experiences with the law we are more grateful for things than everyone else. Do not let society break your spirit. I have learned the only difference between us and them is they just haven’t been caught or they knew the right person. Keep moving forward and prove them all wrong silently. Do it with a smile on your face, because that just urks them.
I would love any information. I had a fraud charge and conspiracy. It was very stupid and I lost everything. I did 18 months and had job coming out. I held the job for almost two years but was just let go. I have a bachelor degree and it doesn’t seem to help much. I’m stuck I will figure it out but would take any advise. Thank you in advance.
Patrick, id appreciate any useful information that you can offer. Ive prior convictions that are 9 years old. I’m almost done with the last section of finishing the CPA exam. I’m currently having a hard time finding email employment. The only sliver of hope I think there may be is to move far away from Florida and never say I was convicted. If it comes up I’ll simply say that I thought I didn’t have to disclose this information. I’m not broken but pretty close.
Please Patrick send me any information you can reguarding this matter. I feel so broken and don’t know which direction to turn. I have 5 felonies all drug related having to do with identity theft and 4 counts of forgery. I graduated nursing school before all of this occured and never even sat for my license. Now I dont know which way to turn… Do I go back for a refresher course in nursing and pay the 3k only to find out at the end that the board of nursing won’t let me sit to test because of my history… Or do I go towarda the goal of something different… Something where at least I know I will have a chance?
Do u still have info I really would like to look over thank you for your time
I have two felonies that are now 12 years old, i have done extensive research on this matter. I have spoken with tons of successful felons, they recommend a business degree of any kind. That is what I have been doing, that way if you want to become a nurse, or teacher or counselor you can by starting your own business. There is a very high success rate for felons with business degrees and how it helped turned their lives around to success. Never be discouraged or in despair, if there is a will there is a way, all you have to do is go find it.
and even with a pardon some jobs still see it forever so fuck em
i found that i dont like authority and that is pretty much why i ended up in prison so i have always tried to be self employed. and then its up to u u dont have to tell anyone shit when u own the business but its still hard but thats life but truth be told i probably dont need to work for a company bunch of stupid people abusing their authority i would probably end back up in prison
ive read everyones comments an its so true but sad. ive made so many mistakes an keep paying for them an its been years. my family pays the price cause im always losing jobs or not finding jobs an getting evicted etc. couldn’t get state or housing help cause of my felonies finally people flat out told my wife to leave me so they could get the help, but threw resources they finally got housing but im NOT suppose to be there we don’t have any bills but cause I still haven’t found a good job were still struggling an its sad….. we all need to band together an fight this to the people who matter so we can get the word out to change the system to help people like us to be better productive members of society…. look me up lets change this… Dennis goodale jr on facebook
This system is more messed up than a transvestite at a Baptist revival. It’s not a democratic or republican matter. It’s an American matter. I completely agree that after 5 years of clean behavior non violent offenses should be pardoned, preferably expunged but it won’t happen let’s be realistic. The system is set up for us to fail. I believe there are honest to goodness employers who will give you a chance but now that the general public can pull your court records up guess what? The morons show up at your work saying “do you know who you have working for you?” Even though you were honest, they let you go. Welcome to America Jack! The land of second chances! NOT!!!!
I was charged with grand larceny in 2008 then took a plea bargain in 2009 a felony embezzlement and I got 6 months probation and paid restitution but they didn’t file it until 2010. Never been in trouble before or after so it going on 8 years since I was so young and dumb decision but now things are very different in my life since the birth of my daughter who’s about to turn 3 and I’ve have custody of her since she was 4 months old. It’s not only hurting myself it’s hurting her in ways, I just want to get a degree in some field that will hire me afterwords instead of wasting time taking the classes. In all honesty this is my only option in WV. I always thought I’d have the coal mines to fall back on. At 30 years old I realized I was very wrong about a lot of things.
hey yall im an ex felo been out for abouy a year and some change now just trying to reasearch what career paths i can take any help would be appreciated. i was convicted of agg asslt on police and a prior theft is there any chance for me or should i call it quites now
Call it quits now.
Considering your history I would go for a degree in substance abuse counseling and you could pursue a psychology degree specializing in addiction.
I was charged as a first time offender No priors Pleaded Guilty To Manufacture Delivery Control Substance Felony 1 in 2011. I’m planning at this time of my life to go back to school. Problem is I don’t know what I can go for. I want to get in to Medical but I know that’s ruled out and I would love to go into Law to possibly work as a detective but again I know that’s ruled out. As for what I want to try for is something along the lines of Administrative Assistant,Psychiatric Technician,Counseling or something along those lines… What would you suggest? Please help me with a solution. I gotta know asap. Thank You!!
Reading all of these posts have made me so depressed. I have a felony conviction now and I have never been in trouble in my life. I have attended school for real estate for three years and was planning to go back to school for nursing. I have also worked for the state. I can no longer do any of these things and all i can say is I am lost. I only have a DWI conviction, my first time. Now I have realized my whole life is being flushed because of a cup of alcohol and I didn’t hurt anyone, I don’t do drugs and i am not violent. I did not resist arrest and i don’t have to go to prison. I don’t understand what in the world kind of system does this to someone that overall a good citizen and person but made one mistake. I am not even a heavy drinker. I feel like a fish out of water and helpless. My only option is to work from home if possible and try to save enough money to start my own business if I can. I am so hurt. This needs to be fixed. A felony conviction for a non violent crime should not have a greater impact than a murder, drug related crimes and violent crimes. My kids will suffer because of this. I can never go on field trips with them again. My whole life has been turned upside down. I have reluctantly had to turn people away from being accepted for an apartment because of felony convictions and I hated to because they had a family. This has to change. It’s crazy.
A felony conviction for a non-violent crime does NOT have a greater impact than a murder conviction. You said yourself you didn’t go to prison… So, I know the situation is bleak, but try not to over dramatize. The fact is that you will never get a job working for any kind of big company – ever. You may be able to work for small businesses, but even those are running background checks and will auto refuse you based on a conviction. It doesn’t matter if it is relevant to the job of not. Either start your own business, find a man to support you or start a life of crime. That’s the options. For a majority of the degree programs at our local community college, you have to pass a background check just to get in the program. The whole “Ban the Box” movement is a JOKE. It just moves the NO to a second interview instead of at the first so – OH GREAT, I just spent TWO trips of gas that I didn’t have the money for just to be told the same old thing. Most small business owners I know run background checks now and vigorously defend their right to use them to completely EXCLUDE anyone with a criminal conviction from being hired. There are no laws, except maybe discrimination laws if you are ethnic, that protects people from this type of discrimination – and there never will be. Until the time that people with records have a majority to vote on their interests – then you have laws that say they can’t vote either. Think about that as you watch the police haul a middle schooler out of school in handcuffs.
Over dramatize? Try living in the state of New Mexico and have a nonviolent felony never served time in prison and the felony is 34 years old and no pardon no expungement allowed and the state tells you hell no you can’t live anywhere and no job. Maybe if you are lucky you can have food stamps. Maybe, It depends on your connections.
I want to be a X-ray tect but I’m a felon but not in the state of TX my felony is 5 years old
I’ve been out of prison for going on 22 yrs i’ve managed to go to school after doing time in prison for drug trafficking i got out of prison and attended school to work on my associates degree in business administration i received it in nov 2000 and couldn’t find work do to not being off probation long enough so i decided to go back to school after getting off probation and relocating from minnesota to florida i started my bachelors degree in business with a concentration in accounting and got my degree in the summer of 2009 but couldn’t find a job due to me either not have the proper experience or having the felonies on my record so i decided once more to go back to school and pursue my graduate degree in business or my MBA with a concentration in management but due to not having experience these damn felonies and being lied to where when i’d go on a job interview and they would tell me their not gonna go past 7 years but they end up going back 10 or sometimes 20 years back to check for felonies how does society expect a person coming out of prison to make a living for himself and family this is how ex offenders end up back in trouble because after 7 years you should be aloud to make a decent living for you and your family people make mistakes all the time that’s apart of living but this is why a pencil is made with an eraser because god understands that we are all imperfect beings aire to making mistakes no matter what nationality you are.
It’s possible to find work. I have two jobs atm, both small restaurants that meet you in person and don’t actually have applications.
I worked as a mechanic in shops in the same manner. the trick is to not work for a big company, and the easiest jobs to get are from companies where the owner works with the employees so there’s no checks since the owner will talk to you in person so they already get a sense of what you are like. I also got jobs through friends that care about me.
Also, never let anyone that can hire you know about your criminal background unless you’re already friends.
Every felon should consider becoming an entrepreneur…Take your idea and run with it yourself. That is the only true path to financial freedom!
Got an idea? I can help you develop it into a viable business plan. Look for me on FB: “Nicholas Peoples” is my name on there.
Nicholas I tried looking for you on FB, there are so many with the same name.
I just got a felony conviction yesterday and I was on my way to medical school this fall and now all that is over in a snap. And to make it so bad it was for a charge for stuff that was found at my house. Well at 53 there is not much for me left. I am going to keep trying until that man upstairs calls me home.
I really feel deep sadness. I am 65 plus years ago and still have to suffer from a felony 34 years ago from the State of New Mexico. No expungment or pardon. I never served time in prison but the state refuses to even consider after all these years any kind of relief. Without my Brother, his Wife and my Dog I would not make it. Good luck to you in the future.
I feel as though my whole life is ruined over one stupid mistake, I was 19 When I was convicted of my non violent felony. Now I am educated mother of three but where can I possibly turn what can I possibly do. Im not the same person I was when I was 19 but people look at your background and all they see is one word FELONY and they don’t even think twice about hiring you or giving you a chance. I learned my lesson the hard way and now I have to pay for my entire life. I thought thats what jail was for I paid my dues to society when they put me behind bars. Now that Ive been released it feels like Im still paying for it like I can never have a fair chance to do good.
Look into a Gov pardon.Do the research and look at what I posted about it above.Hope this helps.Thats what I intend on doing after getting my life back together .I want to go in there with something to show.Actions that can be accounted for not just words.Theres always a way sweetheart.
Nonviolent offenses should be expungeable after seven years or so. Everyone needs hope for a brighter future and locking ex-offenders out of society ends up defeating that purpose and in many cases back-firing on all of us. We lie to people and tell them that if they serve their time and do the right thing they will be rewarded with a normal life again. However, they soon find out the humiliating truth is that they will never be able to recover what they had and society will punish them for life. This is extreme discrimination to say the least. Let’s change the laws and motivate offenders to work towards a positive future. This will have a cyclic affect because each offender has a family and this will also change that families lives in a positive way. We do not have the right to cast the first stone and act holier than thou. These folks deserve to change and rejoin society in new life. Many have a lot of skills and talents to offer us.
Yes I agree
I so agree with what you said.My son is going through this now. It needs to be a better way especially if you don’t have a major felony.
I agree with everything except that violent felons were excluded from your post and I got my aggravated assault before I was old enough to drink and haven’t reoffended since. I now have a family that I’m struggling to support and I have to settle for housing in bad and dangerous neighborhoods with no way to protect my family. No one should be trapped in a situation where their families suffer for as long as they are involved with a felon. There needs to be a way for even a violent felon to move on. I love my wife enough to end my life so she can live without my past putting her in danger. These companies that let you come in as a contractor or temp but refuse to ever hire you on for better pay and benefits are another hurdle. Us felons need to unify and refuse to work for temp services that staff companies who have no intention of hiring you full time no matter how long you work there. We need to stand up to these companies and law makers and refuse to let our past be an excuse for using us as cheap labor. Until felons stand together we will all continue to be held down. Sorry for the rant and subject jumping. I just need people to realize that us violent felons can grow up too and we deserve a way to wipe our slate clean and live lives that we can die happy with. As we stand now violent felons trying to stay out of jail are corporate slaves getting paid just enough to keep us alive so we can work.
I believe everyone deserves a second chance.
Felons Unite and maybe we could make a difference.
So many people are incarcerated due to the “opioid crisiis.” Everyone is going to be released someday and will need to survive and provide for themselves and their families.
Change for felons need to happen!!!!
I agree, the American system has gone overboard with its punishments and it was not meant to be a lifetime punishment. It actually encourages rehabilitated offenders to re-offend out of desperation and survival. This creates a vicious cycle and You could be one of the indirect victims of their desperation. Think about that. No one has the right to punish folks for life and that is not what our forefathers had in mind either. It needs to be transformed and we need to get our government to do that. I agree with the above statement.
Well said Ms. Brooks.
As a ex felon a casing not agree more because even with being a certified mechanic I can no longer get a job any where and I was found guilty at 17 1yr after I got my certification.
I think its a money making system even though youbare rehabilitated no matter if it was 14 yrs ago the csystem holds you down your either going to fight to keep you head above the water or move back toward those revolving doors in which they get paid for you to return through.your now a lable. You may be over qualified for a job but your past is your resume. Once you walked through those doors the only future that was planned for youvwas either death or going back entering back into society wasn’t part of the plan thats why there isn’t any special programs to help. Then therefore it wouldnt be so many repeat offenders and without that there wouldnt be any money in building prisons
I believe that they should sal or pardon felons who conviction is over 7 years and they have not been in any trouble, Now can a felon teach at schools? They need to put the felonies in a class because every felony ids different and even though someone has got a felony they still have to live. We are force to live in poverty and made to live off the state assistance programs. This whole issue needs to be look at because you have good people who has made mistakes for what ever reason. But it is not right to treat them Like second class citizens. And it can happen to anyone. The American dream is for everyone.
You made excellent points. Plus, in psychological fields, felons would be a sure bet for an ex-manipulator to more accurately ascertain who is “playing the system” and who may actually be legit. Why force a drug felon to JUST substance abuse counseling? Why the hell did the person do dope in the first place?? I am a drug-related classification of felon, 23 years old, college degree in psychology, and a survivor of two separate s*xual assaults. The second one I fought for my life to what avail? Now I’m a stripper, and relatively close to committing suicide honestly. I don’t live up to the standards I’ve set for myself, but I guess the only way I’ll make a difference is to leave a suicide note drenched in the blood of someone who “had so much potential” but f**king FAILED at being worth a shit as a person. Or so existing laws suggest!
P.S. The dumbasses don’t realize that forcing people to live in poverty basically paves the way to more felonies being committed so we, and those that depend on us for support, can survive OFF of welfare and state aid.
I definitely agree with you… The system needs to be fixed. Everybody deserves a second chance. Unfortunately there are not many resources for us ex felons. It is sad that there are so many demands put on us but we are unable to meet those life demands because of our status.
The difference between them and us (people who have felons) is we got caught and they didn’t. We ALL fall short. I have 7 years of college, and can’t get a job to save my a..! They(law/government) keep us from having and living the American Dream. Therefore we are subjected to submit(living off the government ), or engaging in criminal activity! Who gives them the right to “brand” us like we’re cattle? If you pay your dues for the crime committed and serve your time why then is it not finished?!
I’ll pray for you, cling to God and accept him as your personal Savior, SAVIOR, YOU ARE NOT ALONE IN THIS LIFE, these people that judge you are mere mortals, God is the ultimate judge and can heal you and provide a way out. Love you sis.
Please dont commit suicide, your life can change for the better with GOD
I know i read this comment alot later, but i saw your post. Don’t let that get you down. Your very strong after all you went through and atleast your doing something unlike most other felons. I am a felon and i did everything everyone said i couldn’t do, im now a HCA in healthcare and i haven’t even been out a year.keep your head up,never give up the good fight and most importantly. …Don’t listen to people when they say you can’t do something, because NOTHING IS IMPOSSIBLE. God Bless you.
Were you able to get your felony espoused in order to work in Healthcare?
Don’t let circumstances hender your progression in life. Sometimes we have to start over from the begining. I’m a single father of two beautiful girls just begining a new life after incarceratin and drug counceling. I UNDERSTAND! Your life is precious, even if you don’t notice there is someone out there that looks up to you and belives in you.
God bless you brother! I’m in a similar situation, minus the daughters. I wish you the best my friend!
I know how you feel.I eased up at 19 I’m 34 now still paying for it. Just because your out of jail doesn’t mean people won’t look down on you for the rest of your life I’ve tried suicide!! All it got my was locked up in a hospital so I married had 3 kids now I’m a housewife
I feel your pain!
Your s*xual assaults should have been mitigating factors in your case.
Sometimes it comes down to a good attorney.
Of course we know not everyone can afford one.
There is no reason why they should have put you in treatment and even if they did, they should have also included therapy.
The system is fucked up and keeps people stuck.
Sometimes smart gentle souls who can really make difference but are denied because they were human and made a stupid choice and have paid the price.
In the state of New Mexico there is NO state aid to felons. There is no pardons for expungements allowed. The only assistance you receive if you are lucky enough is food stamps. There is NO Public Housing such as Section 8 or any other kind of housing. Apartments or Renting Houses forget it.. Maybe some private owner of a house might rent you a rent to own but that is a challenge. No trailer parks will take you they are paranoid about safety and trust. It’s funny though NO one asks about Refugees and Illegals if they are safe and trust them to live around them.Being a felon is a living hell even for those who have never served time in prison. It’s just plain extreme punishment.
No felons cant teach at any school. Basically anywhere we would come into contact with the public, except for drug abuse counselors.
My felons are all most 17 years old
And still i’m unable to get any medical job, post office, city bus driver, school bus drive, tearchers aid, and or helper type school board jobs,
Really should not be on the grounds of public schools with felon convictions. National companies will not hire a felon , Sears , J.C. Pennies, any Police force, state hwy way dept of police, coast guard, national guard, any where a guard card is mandatory, most union jobs, all of the airlines except american airlines.
All state licensing jobs and certifications will not hire felons or even allow them to try for a license.
That’s wrong I know about 16 people who are teachers.
That’s an awesome outlook. If only everyone felt this way. I am looking at my 7 year mark this month and I am having an interview with a company that doesn’t look past 7 years!!!! I’ve waited and educated myself and graduated with high honors in HVAC and I am a female. Keep your fingers crossed!!! God knows I’ve paid for this long enough.
Hi my name is Marilyn. I live in San Jose ca. I am so frustrated with my situation. I have 2 misdemeanor and I’m 29 years old. Learning has been bet of a challenge. I lost my child because I can’t find stable jobs. I’m uneducated. I was hoping if you can help me. I’m blessed to have my family but I feel so alone. I don’t drive and I’m in constant fear. I don’t want to be on the streeysz
I wish you all the luck in world. I have a 34 year felony record. No prison time. Still deal with the state I live in it is just plain murderous punishment still.
God bless you!
I am a felon and have it hard as well.I can relate to all of your stories.There are organizations to help us get good jobs.I was able to get a government job in the past by going threw this amazing company.Its called vocational rehababiltation.Or Voc Rehab for short.Its a place that people who have felonies,substance abuse issueses or mental or phycail handicaps or disorders can go.They will help you with college,employ you and train you in with in there company If you want and find you a good job outside of there to.A lot of the people like myself don’t drive.They have buses that will assist you in getting there and back home.Dont give up please.I have wanted to so many times but reading stories like yours that are like mine give me hope that I’m not alone.That and having a child!
If any of you felons live in Los Angeles, I just want you to know we have alot of opportunities when it comes to driving trucks a.k.a. big rigs.yes if you have a d.u.i. it may not be your career choice,but you can definitely become a bartender or server in a decent restaurant and make a decent wage from the tips you collect…..
Anyone that wants any information just send me an email.
I’ll try to help you as much as possible.
Juice310xsp (at)yahoo (dot)com
I’m a 22yr black male with a felony and yes I’m a statistic , I’ve made mistakes and I take responsibility . What I’m trying to say don’t people deserve second chances in life . Or do settle for McDonald’s for the rest of mine
McDonald’s also does background checks. Felons can’t get jobs at McDonalds or any food place owned by a major corporation – not around here anyway.
My felonies are 10 years old and i went to a franchise McDonald and they told me i had the job and all that was just waiting on background check they called me two days later told me i couldn’t work there because my charges So not even big corps bur franchises too
Tabitha – McDonalds (even franchise) has to follow corporate “standards” … otherwise it will be like McDonalds would be like it was in it’s first 5 years, when McD restaurants in Arizona would serve tacos, even though they were not “allowed to”.
Anyway McD is a crappy job, and you should be grateful they did not take you. Because there are so many better opportunities, and you didn’t get stuck in this crappy job.
For example – Home Depot (which also provides stock options, even to regular store workers), Amazon warehouse or delivery, Lyft & Uber, and many more.
If you have skills such as graphics design / programming / software & web development / writing you can work as a freelancer, with no background checks, and potentially much higher pay.
I met a guy at a camping trip, who is good at “writing copy” (catchy slogans / phrases / headlines, etc).
This guy lives in NYC (which is unrelated to his work), and was considered top freelancer in his category. He charges $100-300+ per project, which usually is making up-to 1 page of text more “sales oriented”. Like he can do that one page in 1 hour!!!! And he has clients all the time, as well as great reviews on Upwork.com
Point is – we all have some type of skill. If that skill can be used online, you should work for yourself as freelancer. If not, there are much better felon-friendly jobs thank McDonalds. Here is a list of 200+ companies that do hire felons.
Finally, most states have free college tuition programs & scholarships if you qualify (and assuming that you went for a job at McD, you do qualify), and you can also get Federal Pell grant, as a student. So you will get both state and federal money, you will have your tuition paid for, and probably even get some pocket money.
Get a marketable skill, and get a good job. Don’t settle for McD
Good luck.
July 15th 2013 my life went from bad to worst. My name is Kerryann Montoute and I live in Roxboro NC I sold a blunt of marihuana value $5 to a friend who turned out to be an informant he was wearing a camera. I was then indicted and arrested charged with 4 felons my bond was set at $100,000 there was no way I could afford to make that bail I sat I jail for 1 month waiting for my bond to be reduced then it was reduced to $60,000. After going back a forth to court for 2 years my case was took to trial where I was found guilty to 2 out of the 4 felons and on January 27th 2015 I was sentenced to 5 to 15 months in prison. I served 6 months and did the other 9 months on parole. I lost my job of course but I was still ordered to pay $100 back that was paid to my informant for his services $5 back for the money my informant used $1200 lawyer fees court cost and everything else and last but not least parole monthly fees for 9 months. My prior background before this was a misdemeanor assault and battery. It was extremely difficult to get a good paying job with just that being on my record. My major was criminal justice I didn’t continue pursuing my degree because I now have to felons. The only jobs that are will to hire are paying $7.25-8.00 an hour and with 2 kids and a household to maintain there is absolutely no way to live off of that. I wrote this to let this new generation know just how easy it is to mess up their life and future. Just one mistake one bad decision. I am a good person with good intentions who made a bad decision
I am in the same boat as you. Single mother of 2, happened to be with my girls father when he was selling to an under-cover for the thrid time. let alone it was Heiron. It messed up my life so bad. I cant stand their dad either. He is a constant threat to my kids and I. I was charged with the same charges as him, he was locked up for three years, i sat for a week and thankfully had my family to help me. I was released on bond and ended up getting 5yr probation. I cant even get a job at Walmart. I was honest about the charge and everything, passed a drug test. I dont do drugs nor did i when he was selling. As of now I am trying to go back to school but i dont know what for. I have a fear of being rejected as I am trying to pursue my future as well as my kids. I dont want to take loans out for school, graduate, then it be nearly impossible to get a job in the field i am at best.
u ladies dont have to settle for less Im 30 live in Raleigh & it sux having 2 felonies I have struggled can’t get my own place bt I didn’t settle for a bs job. I work @ a warehouse making $15 hr Craigslist isn’t a bad place to look for a decent job that’s where I found most of mine dont give up keep on pushing.
In my situation I can’t get my felon exspuged because I plead guilty to it.However I can apply to get a government pardon.They want to see that you’ve changed and give to society.I have always done volunteer work so something like that while your job searching is a great idea.Its about $200 for the app fee and takes 6-9 months to process.Do your research before applying for this.They don’t want you to go infront of them (the board) and tell them a load of lies.If you did it be honest and tell them that you’ve changed and How If that’s the case.Hope this helps someone.
BPD what state are you in? I’ve tried for a pardon in my old state of New Jersey. I was denied after having been through 7 years of school. Working in the field of drug and alcohol for the past 6 years. Obtaining a masters degree in social work and drug and alcohol certifications in two states. I tried for an expungement and was denied due to having two felonies in a two year period even though it was a result of a drug addiction. My brother in the other hand completed drug court and the new law states that no matter how many felonies you have or how long ago they were as long as you complete drug court you get a full expungement. So my brother who still is addicted to drugs, doesn’t take care of his child, and had multiple burglary charges on his record now has a clean record. While i sit here stuck with my record even after giving back and proving myself a productive member of society over and over. The system makes me sick. So sick I’m wondering if I get in trouble again and get granted drug court then i might have a chance at an expungement.
This is str8 crap. You can not get a well paying IT job with a felony. PERIOD!!! Security clearances, NOPE!!! This is something that should be told to all potential enrollees to any college!!! But instead, they just want YOUR MONEY!!! So if even if you graduate, make the Deans list every semester, etc, you still wont get that job. Pick another field.