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ELB wrote: Truly reformed felons seem to be few and far between, if your B-in-law is truly one of them, I wish him the best.

Oh, i don't know but the reformed don't get the same press.

I hear what you guys are sayin', but I ain't buyin'. I've looked through quite a few state and federal recidivism studies, and it ain't pretty. Rates vary from state to state, but of those felons sent to prison, 60-70 percent are arrested within three years, and 40-60% are convicted of another crime within that same three years. That doesn't mean that 60-40% go on to avoid another conviction -- it means that some of them were caught so fast that they went thru the whole arrest-trial-conviction-sentencing drill within three years. Those who were arrested within three years but were not convicted could very well have simply been arrested in the third year and were still awaiting trial at the the three year cutoff point. It is also worth noting that many of these studies only deal with felons convicted, imprisoned, released, and caught again in the same state. I didn't see very many that took into consideration felons that moved to another state.

Longer term studies seem to be harder to come by, and I am sure it is harder to scrape together the records to do so. It is interesting to note that those convicted of theft, particularly car thieves, are much more likely to be convicted again (in the 70s, sometimes 80s percentage-wise) within three years of release than those who commit homicide or sex crimes.

I too have a felon brother-in-law. Been convicted of drug and theft offenses several times, more than one stint in prison. Lately he has seemed to be leading a more legal lifestyle (I suspect his age, in his upper 50s now, has much to do with this). We gave him a car when he was short on funds, and we wish him well. However, his pattern is much more typical than those cited above.

For those that got a wake-up call upon conviction and have avoided further crimes, I wish them the best. If they've kept on a clear path for a good number of years, and I were king, I would certainly consider reinstating their full citizenship (i.e. rights). But they are in fact few compared to the rest, anecdotes not withstanding.

ELB wrote:I've looked through quite a few state and federal recidivism studies, and it ain't pretty. Rates vary from state to state, but of those felons sent to prison, 60-70 percent are arrested within three years, and 40-60% are convicted of another crime within that same three years.

In order to be convicted of a felony and sent to prison, one of three things has to happen:

• The prosecutor has to think that you are such a bad actor that he will not accept a misdemeanor plea bargain, and the judge has to concur and sentence you to prison instead of probation.
• You are caught up on some high-profile case, like Martha Stewart or Scooter Libby, where the prosecutor wants to make an example of you.
• You have ineffective legal counsel or make some bad decisions about your defense.

The first type are likely to re-offend. The others, along with those who get probation, not so much.

People have been convicted of a felony for possessing an eagle feather and other such heinous crimes.

- Jim