Well, after two years of un-/under-employment, I finally have a full-time job again. Most of my problem in gaining employment was the result of legal issues, which have since been corrected... and not less than a week after they were cleared up, I'm employed. It's not much money, but it's steady... and after a year of contractor work, never knowing if I'd work that week or if I'd get paid by the general contractor on time, it's nice to have a steady, reliable income again. While the pay is not great, there is the opportunity for advancement... and since I'm grossly over-qualified for the job, I think my odds are good in that arena.
But it got me to thinking... a lot of the reason why I found it so hard to get a job for 2+ years was my legal situation. Without going into a whole lot of detail, it involved a misdemeanor that didn't involve violence or drugs. Now that it's been cleared up (the wheels of justice grind very slowly indeed) and my record is clear, I'm hired immediately at the first place I apply. So... what about all those other people with minor records that don't get cleared up who can't find work? I understand the reluctance of employers to consider someone with any hint of wrongdoing in their past, but is it really fair? And even though it is illegal in the US (or, at least, in Georgia) to discriminate against someone based on a non-serious criminal background in employment, it is a common occurrence... and with the ease and prevalence of background checks these days, even more so.
Coming from a criminal justice background, and being employed in the field for some 14 years, I have some uneasy qualms. The old cliche "If you can't do the time, don't do the crime" was a byword amongst my co-workers in those days... but should that punishment extend beyond the time done? My situation is, admittedly, a bit different from that, in that I have a clean record again (and, in fact, am working at a sensitive facility with strict legal requirements); but my experience does lend me some sympathy. Which, after being on the other end for so long, is causing a bit of soul-searching.