“The difficulty that offenders face after re-entering the world feels like an extended punishment.”-(Kerri Miller, 2017). Studies show that ex-criminals are more likely to go to back to prison when they can’t find employment. Individuals that have been convicted of a crime are not provided the same opportunity that all other Americans have, they lack the freedom to choose their own method of achieving the american dream.
Many ex convicts have attempted to pick up the broken pieces of their lives and carry on however, finding someone who will give them a helping hand and a second chance is like winning the lottery. Most convicts are unduly discriminated against when applying for employment, when companies receive two job applications that are identical, except that one candidate has been in prison and the other hasn't, the formerly incarcerated candidate is less likely to get an interview. In some states, those who were previously incarcerated are even legally barred from a number of jobs.
The founders of our country identified the natural rights, life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. The definition of the right of liberty is ‘Any basic right or freedom to which all human beings are entitled and in whose exercise a government may not interfere (including rights to life and liberty as well as freedom of thought and expression and equality before the law)’ . I just want to focus on ‘equality before law’, this right is being infringed upon by employers and people in the U.S. by discriminating ex-convicts and limiting their opportunities, which causes their right for pursuit of happiness right to be infringed upon.
Ex-convicts aren’t treated fairly and are victims of cruel judgments based on their past mistakes, ex-convicts are treated like an other.
