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Should your university or company have the right to ask about someone's prior convictions in their admission or job application?

What others said

Yes
34%
No
66%
BackShape the Debate

Sheena Beasley

It will influence the decision to halt someone's education or deny the opportunity to provide for their families or live a productive life.

10:10 AM | November 3, 2016

Sylvia Gale

This is a huge barrier to re-entry. If we believe in rehabilitation, we need to give people the chance to start again, truly.

12:12 PM | October 12, 2016

Aliosha Bielenberg

Employers should be able to ask anything they want if they allow people to opt out of answering a question.

12:12 PM | September 15, 2016

Anezka Sebek

People who have been in prison are valuable to the community for their insight. After all, they are FORMALLY discharged. They have paid their time and life to the system. Now their new life can be informed to be better teachers and workers. That life should be unfettered by prior judgment.

1:13 PM | September 12, 2016

Anezka Sebek

People who have been in prison are valuable to the community for their insight. After all, they are FORMALLY discharged. They have paid their time and life to the system. Now their new life can be informed to be better teachers and workers. That life should be unfettered by prior judgment.

1:13 PM | September 12, 2016

Anonymous

I think they should have the right, but I would like to see many forego this right.

11:11 AM | September 7, 2016

Hannah

In a very limited capacity. I don't think it should be on the initial application, but once the company has decided to interview someone, they should be able to ask about ONLY prior convictions directly related to the job and ONLY for a certain time period. (For example, applications for driving jobs asked about any DUIs in the past 5 years, teachers asked about child abuse convictions, accountants about embezzlement etc.)

7:19 PM | September 3, 2016

Melissa

I think the right should be limited to asking if they have a prior conviction based on a certain crime. For example, businesses asking if a person have been convicted of embezzlement, fraud, etc. but not when it comes to crimes such as DUI's or possession.

1:01 AM | August 11, 2016

Lauren Johnson

We have become addicted to the age of technology, unfortunately along with it, we have come to believe that not only do we have the right to know everything about everyone, but the right to judge them and make decisions about their future based on their past. If people have the opportunity to move beyond the worst choice they have made, then I presume most of them will!

12:12 PM | June 2, 2016

James Fairchild

because it negatively biases employers

7:07 AM | May 22, 2016

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