Discrimination: Human Rights by Societal Standards

Authors note: The following paper could go in many directions as it’s a controversial subject to some. I will keep it in the context of how ex-felons are discriminated in the work place.

Social standards, etiquette, it all sucks when it comes down to being a convicted felon and getting a “real job” in today’s workforce. This essay discusses my reflection on whether or not felons should have the right to make a meaningful living by working at jobs that actually pay a living wage. A felon is defined as a person who has been convicted of a felony, which is a crime punishable by a term in state or federal prison, or death. The result is that over 6% of the adult population is excluded, creating a class of citizens defined and punished by the criminal justice system but unable to impact its function, thus discriminating with prejudice. (J.F., March 13, 2014) Prison Policy Initiative (PPI), a criminal-justice research and advocacy group, released a report and chart that draws on various data sources to present a fuller picture of precisely who is behind bars, and for what reason. PPI reckons the United States has roughly 2.4m people locked up, with most of those (1.36m) in state prisons. People perpetually make mistakes throughout their lives and are conditioned from birth to learn from those mistakes. Making a