NationStates Jolt Archive

Just curious but if some one has a criminal record, should they be banned from certain jobs regardless of crimes?
Some people with criminal acts would not be a problem in some jobs.
For example, a person I have met wants to be a scout leader. He has a conviction for Assualt with intent to cause Greivous Bodily Harm (or something similar), so is not allowed to be one.
Is this the right thing to do if his conviction was not child related and he is not a threat to children?
It was for him and a few mates putting a convicted paedophile in intensive care about ten years ago.
On a side note should he be allowed to sue for damages

Should be banned from certain jobs considering the crime.

I think that your friend should not be able to work as a scout leader. He hasn't attacked children but he has a record of violent behaviour. That's enough in that case.

He should be allowed to sue for damages (costs of the treatments and such). It may sound horrible, but the guy was already convicted. If people are not happy with convictions, they should try to change laws, not take them into their own hands.

If the crime directly relates to the job then restrictions could be applied, otherwise I don't think it's a good idea.
He should not be prevented from being a scout leader, a single assault ten years ago does not reflect on this job. (Unless it had been a child)
I don't think you should be compensated for anything other than property damage, so no suing for emotional/psychological/physical harm.

Unless the applicant of going for a government job, its non of the government's business.

As a stakeholder in government, I say that Government should not employ convicted criminals. If I were an employer, I would not employ convicted criminals.

However, if employers want to employ them, then they can.

The Government's role, apart from screening Public Service candidates, should be to provide background checking services if employers want them, the applicant would sign a consent form for the check as a condition of being employed, and the employer would pay a small fee to the Police for the service.

Again, the above would only be if an employer wants to do it, it wouldn't be compulsory, apart for the Government own recruiting people.

Considering the circumstances (type of crime, how long ago it happened, history since then, etc.), private employers should be able to decide whether they want a person with a criminal record working for them.

Regardless of the time that has lapsed, I won't hire anyone who has been convicted of theft, larceny, robbery, burglary, etc. (my work handles other people's assets).

Violent crimes against children (ex.: murder, rape, maiming, kidnapping etc.; I'm not inviting controversy over corporal punishment or non-custodial parenting "kidnapping" issues) should disqualify a person from life.

Robbery, aggravated assault, attempted murder, or worse shoudl disqualify someone from the professions (architect, teaching, medicine, law, etc.) and government jobs.

Surely this all depends on how criminal records are dealt with in general. Do they expire after a time (time served) or not (permanent).

Ideally a person's criminal record should be a matter of public record, and employers or voluntary organisations (Scouts) can decide for themselves. There should be no lawsa regarding this.

For those who find this too harsh, then records should be time limited, depending on the crime. ABH, Possession of Drugs etc having time limitations, whereas sexual assault on a minor, fraud, rape, murder being permanent record items.

I agree with Disraeliland, except that i have no problem with ex-convicts to hold government jobs without public authority. I want no criminal police or customs officer or teacher, but i dont care what criminal record a janitor taking care of a government building has. Unless its a terrorist or extremist background and he is likely to bomb the building.

"janitor taking care of a government building"

Frankly, that ought to be put out to private tender.

I think security checking is a different affair to criminal record checking, for one thing, someone who comes up in a security check may not have a criminal record.