Criminal records

[Blurock]

@ Fanie. There is a difference between paying off a debt and paying for a crime. The one is a commercial transaction, the other is a defect in behaviour and maybe attitude...

You have choices in life, make the wrong choice and it will affect the rest of your life.

[Just Gone]

If someone paid for his crimes, but that record is held against that person, then it means that there is no hope for rehabilitation.

No there is hope for rehabilitation .......... but companies have the right to know and decide for themselves if they want to hire you. If for example you have been jailed once or twice or even three times for cooking the books and committing fraud ..... then believe me I want to know and have the right to check you out and not hire you in the same position again. And that is my right ! And as you say we all have rights ........... you chose to cock up your rights if you committed a crime and its on your record for life.

[adrianh]

You have choices in life, make the wrong choice and it will affect the rest of your life.

This statement bothers me bigtime for various reasons:
1. Don't those that subscribe to Christian beliefs say that one should forgive?
2. The implication is that people should be made to pay for the rest of their lives even if they've completely turned their lives around.
3. What is the point then of serving a sentence if you pay for the rest of your life anyway.
4. Not all criminal actions are conscious choices, some are accidental and some are due to extreme emotional stress (call it a crime of passion)
5. ...and sometimes people just f_up (make mistakes) because they don't think things through

This is where the entire concept of crime and punishment goes cockeyed - (In my view anyway)
In times of war and strife: One man's terrorist is another man's freedom fighter.

[Blurock]

I agree with the Christian principle of forgiveness Adrian. However, if you have committed a crime, your life will change thereafter. You will either blame yourself, or blame others for the consequences. Because of this you may continue on the same path or change your life. Some people learn, others don't.

If someone has committed a serious crime and he does not change his lifestyle afterwards, how can he expect forgiveness? It is the same as respect. It is earned, never forced.

People do forgive. Yet, it is up to the perpetrator to ask for forgiveness and to show remorse. It is also up to the community to assist with the rehabilitation process by providing a job, guidance and general support system. If not, there is often no alternative but to fall back into crime. You will however not allow a paedophile to work with children or a fraudster to manage the bank.