Imagine yourself walking out of prison in Kentucky, after serving your sentence that society has deemed relevant, into a world that will deprive you of your basic constitutional rights. One night as a young, immature adult, while partying with friends you mistakenly got into a car that unbeknownst to you had been stolen. Unfortunately, you and the other occupants of the car were pulled over by the state police; you and the others were cited with theft of unlawful taking. Because the car was worth over $10,000, you were charged with a felony offense, and sentenced to 5 years in prison. Even though you weren’t satisfied with the sentence or the system, you decided to chalk it up to bad luck and serve your time. As you walk out of prison, you are excited to return to your life and family; however, little do you know in the state of Kentucky you will basically be living in a prison with no bars. This is social injustice. When I hear the words social injustice I think of equality, civil rights, suffrage, struggles, and ultimately peace. In my opinion, social justice is the natural and fair distribution of goods and services to all members of society no matter what your age, race, sex, or sexual preference happens to be. Social justice does not discriminate; it advocates and allows for a good quality of life for all. According to the National Association of Social Worker’s code of ethics, social work is a profession that strives for social justice by challenging social injustice (NASW, 2008). Furthermore, the NASW code of ethics states that social justice is one of the six important core values of social work, in that the profession and practice of social work highly respects and strives for social, political, and economic opportunities for all no matter what age, sex, sexual preference or ethnicity a client happens to be (NASW, 2008). As social workers we need to confront injustice while trying to overcome barriers that block opportunities to help those who have been oppressed by our society (NASW, 2008). Having your basic constitutional rights taken away for past mistakes is in fact a barrier that blocks opportunities to obtain a good quality of life. In the state of Kentucky, once you are convicted of a felony, no matters what the level of the offense is, you lose your basic constitutional rights to vote, serve on juries, and to bear arms (Moser, n.d.). These rights are completely taken away regardless of whether you are imprisoned again or become a nun; they are gone. This is discrimination and oppression at its worst. How can the government expect ex-felons to be functioning members of society when they are being treated like stray dogs? The government expects them to pay fines, as well as taxes, when they can’t even vote for politicians who support of enforce those taxes. Furthermore, the government doesn’t even take into consideration the fact that most employers do discriminate against ex-felons when considering them for positions. Employers state on applications that if a job seeker is an ex-felon, it will not affect their decision making process; but my question is, why do they even ask if it doesn’t matter? Additionally, most employers want to run background checks. I don’t think that a person’s background on a piece of paper submitted by the government really shows a person’s character or level of skill. It may show the bad parts to us, but what about the good? I believe we all can look bad on a piece of paper; it is like looking at a person’s character and personality under a microscope. Besides, does a criminal background check really explain the situation that led to the arrest? Does it even remotely explain the thoughts of that particular person while executing that crime? Absolutely not; it is only the government and law enforcement’s idea of what happened. We all make mistakes and have bad moments of making poor judgments. I don’t think that we should be permanently discriminated against for those moments of bad decision making. Some may argue that people can’t change or that they deserve to have their rights taken away because of their offense. I would argue that we all have the ability and capacity to change, and unless we are given chances, opportunities, and support, how could anybody conclude that a person can’t change? When addressing ex-felons and employment issues, I think we need to use common sense. Of course I don’t support sex offenders working at elementary schools. There are certain degrees of felony offenses, that when the felon is out of prison, need restrictions. I’m advocating for those felons who have substance abuse problems, those who have committed burglary due to hard economic times, and of course people who make thoughtless mistakes. On an individual, micro-level, as a social worker working for a client who is an ex-felon, I would first empower them to make the most of a bad situation; this includes assisting them in finding a meaning in life, as well as focus on their positive strengths, while attempting to give hope to a hopeless situation. I would also refer the client to a counseling professional or facility that focuses on possible bad experiences that the client may have endured during their arrest and incarceration period. The client may need help with adjusting back into society, overcoming a drug problem, or dealing with family situations. I would encourage the client to seek out self-help groups in their area that focus on peer group involvement. I would research possible well-paying employment services that would, in fact, hire them regardless of their low status in society. I would then refer the client to that place of employment. I would also research, and refer a client to, possible establishments that help with housing if the client has no place to live. I would assist the client in finding public transportation services in their area. Finally, I would help the client by suggesting possible spiritual institutions according to the client’s spiritual preference. On a macro-level, I would first encourage society as a whole to take a humble outlook towards ex-felons returning to life outside of prison. I would petition and advocate for equal treatment and opportunities for a better quality of life on a national and state level. I would campaign for legislators to reinstate ex-felons’ basic constitutional rights after completion of their sentence. I would also sponsor and encourage employers to do away with employment practices that discriminate against persons who have committed felonies. This would include removing the “have you ever been convicted of a felony?” clause from applications, as well as ceasing to run criminal background checks. I would also advocate for more federal grant money for small or large businesses that will hire ex-felons, and money to be given to ex-felons to return back to school. All in all, I would campaign for economic help for these individuals re-entering mainstream society in order for them to be functioning and contributing members of society, while achieving the best quality of life. In conclusion, in my heart I believe that no matter where a person finds him/herself in life, or what that person did to get there, he or she deserves a chance and opportunity to change. I believe that everybody has the ability and capacity to change. We need to realize and accept that these economic times are tough and oppressing and imposing limits on ex-felons will only encourage and perpetuate their criminal behavior. I think we need to open our minds and hearts by putting ourselves in their shoes while trying to experience how they feel. Ultimately, regardless of a person’s past, they should be given an opportunity to prosper, enjoy life, and create a positive future. This is social justice. References
Moser, E. (n.d.). Convicted Felons Rights in Kentucky. Retrieved on January 28, 2012. www.ehow.com.
National Association of Social Work. 1997. Code of Ethics. Core Values. National Association of Social Work. Washington, D.C.