H. R. 1529 - The Second Chance for Ex-Offenders Act of 2009

Sign the Petition : 2,224 Letters and Emails Sent So Far

Dear [Representative],

I am writing on behalf of the hundreds of thousands of men and women who, having been convicted of a Federal Felony, and regardless of the sentence handed down by the courts and having “paid their debt to society”, are also being handed a hidden life sentence that is not a part of any judicial proceeding.

H. R. 1529 - The Second Chance for Ex-Offenders Act of 2009 legislation was sponsored by Congressman Charles Rangel (D-NY) on March 16, 2009. Rep. Rangel has been trying - unsuccessfully since 2002 - to get this expungement of federal convictions bill passed. So, 2009 must be the year he meets with success.

A first time, non-violent offender who has paid their full debt deserves a second chance. They deserve an opportunity to earn their lives back. These people are not “hardened criminals.” Rather they are quite ordinary people who have made a bad decision. They know it, they take full responsibility for their actions and they are full of remorse for the pain that they have caused to their families. Many too are so called “white collar” offenders who had very good jobs before they made a mistake. Even someone like Martha Stewart fits this category. However, unlike Ms. Stewart most of these people do not have a merchandising empire to fall back on. Most will never be able to regain their previous position. They are disenfranchised in too many ways to enumerate here.

Even US Attorney Patrick Fitzgerald has championed the need for more carrots as we have so many sticks. So many of these young men and women who have non-violent convictions for example – marijuana possession, are given probation sentences. They graduate with Master's degrees, or Law, or Science, or Education degrees, but they cannot even get a job working in a Walmart or volunteering to tutor children - all because of their felony conviction. If the House Judiciary Committee would vote – Yes, and pass H.R. 1529 to expunge their conviction, these well educated and qualified young people could make a difference in their communities. Instead the current system gives them the Stick - a permanent life sentence. They drift from one underemployment job to next, if they can find one, for the rest of their lives.

There is much rhetoric from many in the justice system and Congress, about how much is being done to rehabilitate those who have committed a crime, how much is being done to prepare them for their return to society. These are hollow, meaningless words when the reality is that we do everything possible to hamper previous offenders from regaining a productive place in society. Then we raise a hue and cry about how high the recidivism rate is.

The concept of “permanent punishment” with no hope of restoration for a non-violent first-time offender is void of any of the commonly held concepts of fairness. This bill is not a Democrat/Republican, Conservative/Liberal, or Black/Latino/White. Rather it is simply doing the right thing - the human and humane thing.		H. R. 1529 - The Second Chance for Ex-Offenders Act of 2009

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People signing the "H. R. 1529 - The Second Chance for Ex-Offenders Act of 2009" petition!

  1. Mon., Mar. 8, 2010 9:00 AM    link Name not displayed | Saint Albans, WV

  2. Sun., Mar. 7, 2010 6:42 AM    link Lawrence M. | Brunswick, OH

    Let's give them, and me a chance 2 start over...

  3. This comment has been reported to the site manager. It will be reviewed and removed if inappropriate. Thank you!

  4. Fri., Mar. 5, 2010 10:26 PM    link Name not displayed | Knoxville, TN

  5. Fri., Mar. 5, 2010 4:20 PM    link Bentley K. | New Martinsville, WV

  6. Fri., Mar. 5, 2010 2:14 PM    link Nicole G. | Fort Wayne, IN

    What is important to me as a Social Worker is not what a client did 10 years ago, but what they are doing today, what accomplishments they've made and the road to the future they are on. I have seen far too many clients who have done the crime and done the time. They then make the changes necessary to live a positive life and our employment laws hinder them dramatically from being self suffient and successful. How much proving of ones self is enough for society, employers and the law makers?Example: Client is a 39 year old black man, convicted of Felony dealing and possession (cocaine) 1995 in Indiana. Possession of marijuana in 1998, which violated his probation from the 1995 charges. Did a total of 5 years in an Indiana prison. Since being released has had NO arrest or convictions- not even a speeding ticket, seriously. Since being released he has earned an Associates Degree from IVY Tech in Industrial Maintenance, is 4 classes short of a certification in Maintenance Technology from IVY tech, earned his CDL's from C-1 trucking in Fort Wayne, earned 3 Certification from the American Welding Society and can't get a job- unless he wants to flip burgers for $7.25 a hour- are we serious??? He has 4 children to support, not because he "has" to but because he wants to out of his own priority. His story is only one of thousands, reform is needed for him and others that are being pushed back into the streets for survival, into the depths of depression and hopelessness and being robbed of living up to their God given potential!

  7. This comment has been reported to the site manager. It will be reviewed and removed if inappropriate. Thank you!

  8. Fri., Mar. 5, 2010 1:53 PM    link Name not displayed | League City, TX

  9. Fri., Mar. 5, 2010 1:27 PM    link Toni S. | Texas City, TX

  10. Fri., Mar. 5, 2010 1:13 PM    link Voncil L. | League City, TX

  11. Wed., Mar. 3, 2010 8:49 PM    link Lucille D. | Algonquin, IL

    Please give these individuals a second chance.

  12. This comment has been reported to the site manager. It will be reviewed and removed if inappropriate. Thank you!

  13. Wed., Mar. 3, 2010 4:16 PM    link Rosenda M. | La Crosse, WI

  14. Wed., Mar. 3, 2010 11:27 AM    link Name not displayed | Humble, TX

  15. Tue., Mar. 2, 2010 10:06 PM    link Priya I. | League City, TX

    Please get this done now!

  16. This comment has been reported to the site manager. It will be reviewed and removed if inappropriate. Thank you!

  17. Tue., Mar. 2, 2010 12:59 PM    link Sharon C. | Atlanta, GA

    Making someone a "felon" for life, even if they have only committed one non-violent mistake is wrong. Their lives are over for the most part, despite a few "feel good" anecdotal stories from time to time about a rare individual who gets a break from someone.

  18. This comment has been reported to the site manager. It will be reviewed and removed if inappropriate. Thank you!

  19. Tue., Mar. 2, 2010 12:58 PM    link Sharon C. | Atlanta, GA

    Making someone a "felon" for life, even if they have only committed one non-violent mistake is wrong. Their lives are over for the most part, despite a few "feel good" ancdotal stories from time to time about a rare individual who gets a break from someone.

  20. This comment has been reported to the site manager. It will be reviewed and removed if inappropriate. Thank you!

  21. Tue., Mar. 2, 2010 12:53 PM    link Derrick C. | Atlanta, GA

    The current system is cruel and it doesn't create a safer society. Let people have a stake in their own futures. Get rid of the roadblocks which prevent them from getting good jobs and being productive again.

  22. This comment has been reported to the site manager. It will be reviewed and removed if inappropriate. Thank you!

  23. Tue., Mar. 2, 2010 11:25 AM    link Name not displayed | Bartow, FL

  24. Mon., Mar. 1, 2010 11:09 PM    link Keith J. | Atlanta, GA

  25. Mon., Mar. 1, 2010 6:41 PM    link Sarah C. | Richmond, VA

  26. Mon., Mar. 1, 2010 5:09 AM    link Name not displayed | Saginaw, MI

  27. Fri., Feb. 26, 2010 11:32 AM    link Altagracia M. | Richmond, VA

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