I don't know why anyone who has a felony conviction should even try to re-integrate into Normal society and find a job with which to support themselves.  In fact, I'm quite sure we should just ship them all to another country, since it's soooo politically incorrect to just SHOOT THEM!  (ie:  you're an IDIOT).

And I SURE HOPE YOU BURNED YOUR BIBLE, because you seem to be AWFULLY PRACTICED AT THROWING STONES.

I think the writer above is absolutely correct. Every felon is not Charles Manson. If you keep them from getting good jobs they'll resort back to crime. Would you be happy if they all worked at fast food joints?????

Dear Shawn Harris,

I have to side with the criminals in this. Obviously, if a convicted felon puts the time and energy into acquiring a real estate license, he or she is doing something positive.  Being a convicted felon, I understand the difficulty in seeking decent work.  To be fair though, there are people who just should not be allowed into positions like these.  This is why we have court systems, parole/probation officers, rehabs, etc.  There are a good number of measures in place to weed out those who are sincere in their life recovery.  Usually those who are still practicing a criminal lifestyle will resort to measures other than becoming a real estate agent.  This article is a joke.  I do however believe that a potential buyer does have the right to know and trust their agent.  This is just good business.  Why would you resort to condemning everyone who is a felon? 

- Alabama you can't drive barefoot

- Indiana residents may not exceed 10 miles per hour on horse

Get the point? 

Before you slam one class of people you should do your homework.  You also have to the other extreme, where someone HAS done something horrible, yet wants to set their life right again.  Once a reasonable debt to "society" has been paid, they should not be impaired from seeking a positive lifestyle.  Our constitutional rights dictate that we are free to seek life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.  Who are you to stand in the way of that?

The State of Texas conducts background checks on all realtors prior to issuing a license.  If someone has a felony conviction, the Texas Real Estate Commission will determine what kind of felony it is prior to issuing a license.

I spanked (disciplined) my son 15 years ago and the state charged me with child abuse.  Therefore I stopped disciplining and just let them have their way to keep from getting another case!

However, this is an incident which the Texas Real Estate commission will investigate to make sure you are not a threat to the general public PRIOR to issuing a license.

Sometimes we make bad decisions in our past and some of us are trying to get our lives back together again.

Some people with felonies can't get jobs therefore a sales job is the best option.

MARTHA STEWART has a felony ... she is selling real estate for KB Homes.

Go figure.

Excuse me but I am a felon and I love and have always wanted to sell real estate since I was a child. Some times things happen and you just cannot change it. I was in a horrible car wreck years ago and was prescribed some heavy duty pain pills, I took these pills pills for years. I became tired of litterly putting pills in my mouth everyday so I tried to not take them and became deathly ill. Mind you I had two children at home to take care of. I went to my dr. and told him of the situation and he took me off of them cold turkey. Well I wasn't completely out yet, but nevertheless I was terrified of the forcoming. So under the influence I stupidly called in my own prescriptions in hopes that I may wean myself off of these horrible things. Only one script lead to many and of course I was caught and charged with (WHAT?) yes, a felon. That happened over ten years ago and I still cannot find employment because of the ignorance thinking of people such as yourselves. Shame on you. I believe the Bible quoted He who is without sin cast the first stone at the prostitute. You hippocrites. Be thankful that you have what you do and try to put your foot in someone elses shoes for a change and try to help them not ridicule them and cast them down further than they already are. Shame Shame Shame.

How interesting that the agents most upset are the convicted felons.  I don't understand how trying to set some standards makes me a hypocrit.  There is no question that there needs to be stronger standards.  When I can have, yes...a convicted felon...one who was convicted of credit card fraud...who lost his car sales license because of fraud...and is able to get a real estate license and commits..yes...MORE fraud...and moves to THREE offices and commits more fraud...hello?

Did ANY of you read the blog at all??? Currently, in the state of Virginia, as far as I have been able to ascertain, there are not many standards in place.  There are NO provisions for convicted felons of bodily crimes, fraud, past drug sales or use. There are NO background checks at all.

Can a convicted felon "turn it around"?  I do believe they can..if they truly want to.  Can convicted felons have had a bad rap? Possibly. It does happen.  In the MAJORITY of cases? I don't think so.

At the very least, the public should be made aware.  Why is this such an issue??? The public has a right to know everyone who is coming into their homes.  Why should this be a secret?  If you did "nothing", if you have turned your life around...what are YOU hiding?

As I said, I had the experience of having a very bad man in my office...who was a convicted felon.  He has NO desire to change and continues to prey upon people in a very BIG way. If there had been some standards in place...he would not have been able to go from office to office working his special magic...fraud.

So...why is the idea of having a way to stop someone like this so threatening?  Or should I say so threatening to convicted felons?  If you have indeed turned your life around, I would think you would be so incensed when I tell a story of another who continued to wreck havoc that you would be the first in line wanting to make changes to protect your rights as well as protect the public.

Without some standards in place, I will stand by my original blog that convicted felons do not belong in real estate. When states are serious about protecting the rights of the consumer by having background checks on potential realtors, policies about suspending an agent with a felony background during investigations so they can not continue to practice real estate until cleared and have some strong standards regarding the type of crime committed, I say no convicted felons. This does not make me the bad guy. I err in the direction of caution to protect the public from when there are no other protections in place.

interesting posts.  I can definitly relate to those convicted of felonies as I myself have one conviction.  Ok, so first off I agree that when the state asks a question like this on a license application they should investigate it.  If I had my own real estate office I would definitly run background checks on everyone.  The Securities and Exchange Commission takes this application question a step further requiring applicants to check yes if they were merely arrested.

One solution is like california has done with the review board (they can also order an applicant to submit a surety bond -- ah doesn't real estate ultimantly come done to profits anyhow?).

Since every case has the potential to be very unique (I remember a friend of mine who got convicted for running naked during a college prank) each case should be evaluated on it's own merits.  This is were I think the process of obtaining an Order of Expungement comes into play.  Sure, let Virgina deny felons real estate licenses, but shouldn't a judge (the one who found fit to impose the felony in the first place) have the power to issue an Order of Expungment to restore an individual to the status prior to the conviction?  if a state appointed judge believes that someone is rehabilitated shouldn't this be enough?  Unfortunately, california state law says no, judges do not have this power, because even individuals who recieve an Order of Expungment still have to answer Yes on state licensing applications. 

Fortunately, california has instituted the review board to make sure that a rehabilitated person has another chance at getting licensed.  Unfortunately, for obtaining an investment banking license (like I wanted too), even a "court judged rehabilitated person" will still find it hard to find a employer since every employer is required to file a new U4 application which includes even an expunged conviction.  How can some people be so unforgiving?  The really sad part about it is that i'm very bright, but just made some youthfull indescretions, but for firms to take a "no tolerance" policy towards me is really hurting everyone (commissions = company revenues)

I just finished reading this article, I can really relate. I am going to mediation tomorrow, against Edina Realty and two of their agents, one who is a convicted felon. In his own words plead guilty too aiding and abetting to drug distribution. This happened while he was a realtor, he served up to 3.5 years and just started selling again.There is somthing wrong with picture.

John

I am a convicted felon in Indiana, but did not even commit the felony I was convicted of.  It was a matter of the finger being pointed in my direction, and the wonderful state I live in doesn't do proper investigations.  If they would have, they would have seen, along with many others, that there was no way I could have committed the crime.  But, the only were interested in closing the case as quickly as they could and use me as their scapegoat.  Anyway, my problem is that companies are using the background check in a manner it shouldn't be used.  I understand if something comes up on a background check that is directly related to the job they are applying for, but if it isn't related, the the applicant should be given a chance.  I don't understand why felons can't be given a chance, especially if they didn't even commit the crime in the first place!  I can't tell you how many times I've had to explain the specifics of my felony, and it doesn't matter one bit.  It's just a waste of breath.  I don't understand why people can't be given a second chance.  Employers are missing out on quality workers over something stupid.  Now, I can see if we are dealing with repeat offenders here, but when you're dealing with somebody like me, who never caused any trouble before trouble found me, then I don't see why a chance can't be given to a perfectly qualified applicant.  I think people are too quick to judge people just because of what a silly piece of paper says.  You should get to know the person first.  Why do you suppose most felons go back the crime?  Thats because people like you don't give them a chance to show that they can do good jobs, and let's face it, crime pays and you don't need a background check to do it.  But, if employers would give them a chance, then maybe we'd have less crime in this country.

I must say that if you only checked the statistics you would find that a overwhelming majority of fraud committed by real estate agents is committed by agents who are non-felons, NOT former felons who have disclosed thier crime and after going through a review board to be licensed.  The reason Shawn is being attacked is because she SCREAMED in here blog attacking  any leopard felon blindly.  She says she is a broker/owner?  What planet is she living on.  She acts liked she was just molested by a gang of evil felons.  I am not a felon but she would be the last brokerage I would work for simply because of her pure ignorance.  People have tried to explain to this rocket scientist that felons who have gone through a review board and have been  carefully checked as to the nature of thier felony should be able to make a living as a real estate agent if thier state so sees fit, but still she persist in playing the closed brain discriminator.  Please Shawn tell us how we will stop all the non-felons who committ real estate fraud, after all they are the majority?  There are literally millions upon millions of felons in this country, since you are so intellegent where are these people going to work?  Give some creditable answers and quit popping back in with more ignorance.  Blindly ignornant people make my head ache.  Being nice or trying to use logic with this women simply won't work.  People like her are closet bigots who will never change.

She reminds me of the preacher who got caught with the prostitute.  I wonder how many skeletons she has in her past history.  Some people who condemn others so readily usually are covering up hidden psychological issues .  Maybe this broker is just looking for attention.  What professional would be so foolish as to start this type of blog and put her picture out there for the whole world to see.  She told her story like nobody in the world realizes that felons are among us, and she just made this amazing discovery and has to alert the entire world to this terrible scourge that is about to destroy our way of life.  She is the reason that real estate agents are ranked right down there with used car salesmen and lawyers and the biggest bottom feeders.  Please Shawn get out of the business so the rest of us have a chance of making people feel that there really are a few realtors with basic intelligence and common sense.

Felons are people too.

I am a member of PACER which is a database where you can search any name or federal court for pennies.  complete pubic access via the internet, billed quarterly with an approved account.  my research cost me about $10 but gave me a million dollars of insight.  if only i had it two years ago :(

People need to stop setting judgement on people past, anybody is capable of change.  What somebody done in the past, can't defined who they are today.  We have plenty of celebrities out there who defraud the system but society rewards them.   Why can't we do the same and forgave, everybody deserve a second chance.

This realtor is generalizing and not being specific after the fact, She mentions one realtor who has a felony conviction, who served time for it and then rants about all the illegal activity in the real estate market and attributes it to that individual - everything else after what she says about him is her own rumor mill; no facts, no specifics, no names - who even knows if she is telling the truth about the supposed felon? That's a ridiculous and discriminatory 'law' in the first place. The background check was instituted by a bunch of discriminating paranoid conservatives - someone convicted of a felony who has served time, which means she or he has exchanged their debt to society, should now be punished again for the original felony? No matter how long ago it occurred? That is ridiculous and unconstitutional.

WaaaaWaaaWaaa! Honestly, all you convicted felons can just quite whining.  I can now talk about the person in question because YES!!! the state of Virginia FINALLY took his real estate license away...AND took away the license of his accomplice...his girlfriend.  Charles Wigington is the agent in question, he has defrauded three people I know.  Check the public record. better yet, ask his VICTIMS how they feel that someone who had a HISTORY of fraud and was CONVICTED of fraud, served PRISON time for fraud and then LOST his license to sell cars because of fraud was ALLOWED to have a real estate license in Virginia so he could continue to commit fraud on a LARGE scale basis while going from office to office.

Unconstitutional? Discriminatory? PULLLEASSSEEE!!! Give me a frikkin' break!  Since when is protecting the RIGHTS of the public discriminatory or unconstitutional?  Being convicted of a felony strips other rights away...namely voting.  We ALL know that.  So you paid your dues to society?  I am happy you did. Does my viewpoint make me conservative? Maybe on this issue.  ( You say conservative like it's a dirty word).  Most of the time I am accused of being liberal, but I am a real estate broker.  I want the public protected.  Until and unless the state of Virginia...or for that matter, DC and Maryland where I am also licensed...actually put some real guidelines into practice, I will continue to be very vocal about this issue. I have experienced the hell this agent has put our clients through.  I have had to go to court to clean up his mess.  HE never showed up to any court dates, hearings or inquiries. This NEVER should have happened. prior to this experience, I might have agreed with the people who say...give them a chance. Not now.  Does that make every convicted felon a bad person? NO.  Unfortunately, unless and until the states start coming up with some guidelines such as what crimes would make a convicted felons unable to practice real estate (murder, drug dealing, rape, fraud. assault...), the public has a right to knw they are NOT being protected.

The public has a RIGHT to know who is coming into their homes.  If we are expected to gain the trust of our clients then we better make sure we have HIGH standards for our agents.  I am frankly SHOCKED NAR has not taken a hard stand on this as well since their ad campaign is aimed at improving the image of Realtors.  Why would ANY agent want to have their image tarnished by a few?  We can take steps to improve our image...so let's do it.

You want to see facts? Come to my office, I have an entire drawer devoted to this one agent and his girlfriend. I'll show you facts.

Did you notice the person accusing me of not being factual, etc didn't even use their name?  How interesting.

Stop your pissing and whining you weak hearted want-to-be's! What people on the real estate licensing board in the state of South Carolina don't know, isn't going to hurt them!" I managed to recently receive my broker's licence in the state of SC. and never once did it cross my mind to answer their dumb ass questions about criminal convictions honestly? Are you people morons? Do you really think they have the time or resources to do a N.C.I.C. on all the applicants they have for a license in the state you reside in?

I served time in the state of Michigan for passing stolen checks, etc. I have been arrested for O.U.I. in the state of Maine, Massachusetts, and twice in the state of South Carolina! These backwoods police departments don't know about your past criminal record, if it's been over five or six years. I'm selling luxury homes on the Isle Of Palms here in South Carolina, and I live in a two million dollar home! If you stop whining about your life and the rules, use a little street smarts ( if you even know what that means) go get what you want in this life before it passes you by.

Once they give you a licence to sell real estate they cannot take it away, unlesss you commit a new crime, an infraction selling properties, etc. I don't hide from my past, because that is exactly what it is, THE PAST! If you have one foot in yesterday and one foot in tomorrow, you are pissing all over today!!!!!!

We don't always have to play by the rules, look at me! From a dirty ass jail cell in Michigan to a two million dollar home on the I.O.P.! The American Dream come true. I don't drive when I get liquored up anymore. My checks have my name on them today and I acn care less what neighbors have to say about my past. They have skeletons in their closet, also! They are either molesting their kids, beating their wife, or whining about how someone else has more than them because they weren't stupid enough to think they would get anywhere in this life by being honest! 

As a Christian, all I can say is that I and other will have to just pray for you. Your blog on felons and the riot that you have created over it is very condescending, rude, and just plain evil. I apologize that you went through a bad experience. But you can not label everyone who has a felony a bad person. Until you have gone through it yourself or someone in your immediate family, such as a child, people like you will never understand how hard it is to find work with a felony record. You are probably not aware that its hard to get jobs at fast food places, movie theaters, or just to work at Walmart pushing carts.  People with felonies have to eat, live, and provide for themselves & families.  With all the amount of evil, racism, and trash that is out there in the world, I pray that at some point in life, you will let go of your anger, hate, and learn to have love, compassion, and to forgive.

Hello, Steven:

Thank you for praying for me. I can use all the prayers I can get.

I find it interesting that you ASSUME that NO ONE in my family has ever been convicted of a felony. That is simply not true. I understand how hard it is to get jpbs once you have been convicted of a felony.  So...since it is hard to get jobs as a felon in fast food restaurants, movie theaters and WalMart...we should allow felons to get real estate licenses so they can ssist people in making one of the biggest decisions of their life AND have access to their homes, private information etc...?

Whether one is Christian or not has NO bearing on whether someone with a felony conviction should have a real estate license or not.  Incidently, the victims of this particular agent all were Christian.  None of these victims is for convicted felons having real estate licenses. They have all read my blog and want me to do even more to ensure the safety of the public after their experience.

Steven...if you have indeed read this entire blog and ALL comments...you would know that I have also suggested that perhaps if all convicted felons are not barred from real estate that at the very least there should be some sort of strong guidelines about which types of crimes would be barred from real estate and that there has to be some sort of STRONG enforcement available in the event a convicted felon is allowed to practice real estate and commits criminal acts. As it stands in Virginia now, an agent with a criminal background can get a real estate license, practice real estate, commit criminal acts and the state can't even suspend the license while the investigation is ongoing. Gee...are we supposed to turn the other cheek while this person goes from office to office as my agent did and continue to create even MORE victims? Pullllease!!!

I have compassion for what the victims of this agent went through. They have ruined credit records that will take literally years to clean up. And yes, I am angry that the state of Virginia knew and allowed this sort of fraud to be perpetrated on these people when yes, the state could have and should have done something to stop this agent and others like him.  Maybe putting myself out there and taking a stand and being a voice for these people is the real act of love and compassion.  The state isn't doing it and neither are people like you who are insisting that these people be damned...that it's all about the convicted felon.

I didn't just go through a "bad experience". Many people have gone through bad experiences as a result of knuckleheaded thinking that could have prevented these experiences.

Hi, Chad:

Thanks for writing.  Most brokers I have talked to were also under the impression that the state was doing background checks on agents who answered "yes" the felony conviction question.  As far as I know, Virginia does not even require Brokers to undergo any special check. I know I didn't.  I just had to pass the state Brokers' exam. maryland does do a more extensive background check. DC does not.  From what I know, it is definitely possible to just not answer taht question and NO ONE will be the wiser since NO checks are done.

I have been told there is legislation on the state agenda at the beginning of 2009 to require fingerprints and background checks for Realtors in Virginia.  Currently, mortgage brokers DO NOT even have to be licensed in Virginia.  You can just hang out your mortgage broking shingle.

You act like everyone who has been convicted of a felony is a thief, a rapist or a murderer.  I bounced a check five years ago and guess what?  Now I'm a convicted felon.  I heard a story of a man who LEFT HIS DAUGHTER IN A HOT CAR FOR EIGHT HOURS, resulting in her DEATH, and his crime was a misdemeanor.

Somehow in our screwed up system, killing your child is a lesser crime than bouncing a check.

Just because someone has been convicted of a crime doesn't mean they shouldn't be given the chance to pursue a career.  People change.  Credit card fraud is a pretty broad category.  The crime may not have been as serious as you'd like to think it is.  Not everyone who has had legal troubles is just waiting for an opportunity to knock over the armored truck or rob the local bank.  The career criminals spend most of their lives in and out of jail.  Sounds to me like this guy had turned his life around and was trying to make an honest living (if you can call selling real estate "honest").

Overreact much? Jeez.

I find it amusing that you keep skirting the fact that most agents who commit fraud are NON FELONS.

Not having been previously convicted doesn't necessarily make one innocent, it just means they've never been CAUGHT.  Again, you're assuming that because one has previously committed a crime that they are involved in some ongoing criminal activity when that simply isn't the case.

I'm a convicted felon.  Yes that's right I admit it.  I was not paying my fair share to the I.R.S. and 20+ years ago I plead guilty to it, resulting in probation.  Today I am a very successful real estate agent.  I'm an engineer with a degree by trade but because of the felony conviction couldn't get hired by a well paying firm.  Fortunately the state I live in allows an agent with a felony to get a license after a background check and the crime hasn't got anything to do with certain types of frauds or henious crimes.  I'm around many agents both residential and commercial and alot of these agents put thier own self interest before thier clients.  Some of the service to their clients is pathetic at best, and none of these agents are felons.  I, on the other hand have never had a complaint in 17 years as an agent and my past client referral list is one of the most extinsive.  I appreciate my clients and they appreciate the way I put thier interest first.  Maybe I'm just sensitive to the ex-felons plight, but not being a felon doesn't make you any better or more trustworthy than a person who has had to live life with the discrimination of being labeled a felon.  If all of my past clients learned today that I was a felon all of thier responses would be.  "So What"  He will always be our agent."  This broker who started this blog is under the misconception that she is better than other people who have tripped along the path of life.  She doesn't have the capacity to judge people and their deeds or actions on an individual level.  She really needs to learn life lessons which include a solid mix of common sense intellegence and compassion.  Without these traits shes comes across as a hater.  Good luck to you Ms. Broker, you'll need it to ever find happiness.

She acts like Sarah Palins dumb cousin.

To the "holier than thou" poster above please include yourself in the same blind ignorance that surrounds this broker.  Please since you want to refuse anyone who has ever had a felony for any reason what so ever a license to sell real estate , then be so honorable as to not accept felons  as  clients.  If you however are over come with greed and just smile when you sell them a house and hold your greasy little hipocritical hand out for the fat commission check, be so honorable as to donate the entire check to a group who wants to introduce the legislation barring felons.  There are 10's of millions of felons in the U.S.  Our country locks up more people per capita than any other country in the entire world.  Over 50% are for non-violent drug related crimes.  Prisons are big business.  It's what capitalism and cronism is all about.  Why don't you educate yourself and stop being so nieve.  To many people in this country live in a closet, to afraid to open their eyes.  They just follow blindly like pathetic sheep, incapable of individual thought .  Oh Yeah, where did you get that name?  Oh I know , it looks so safisticated on your business card. We all have to exaggerate a little every now and then right?

I am really sorry I made some huge mistakes in my life. I have a few fellonies mostly for drug problems. I have been off drugs for over eight years now. I love and support my family of four however because of people who are very unforgiving geting a good job is very hard. Now I work as a Real Estate Assistant and am begening to make a good living for my family. I wonder if the tables were turned if maybe you would think that God fearing people would be graceful enough to give a man another chance at changing his life?? You know many fellons have changed their lives and become great people.

Actually, in many states convicted felons can vote after all time/probation is served and no outstanding charges exist. To Shawn and the rest of the haters in VA. Thanks for the info. I'm packing up - see ya there.

Hope I take some of your business while you waste your time complaining about "bad people".

BTW, does a RE agent really earn their commission when it's based on a percentage of the sale price? The whole commision arrangement is a scam in the first place. Be glad you have a legal way of skimming money off of something you put nothing of real value into to create. When RE is booming, you can sell a house in a few hours and make money like a felon.

I am a convicted Felon from California, got out of prison a year ago for drug sales, and am so discouraged, I am thinking of going back to drug sales.  I tried to go into the Real Estate business but was denied because of my background.  It seems impossible to get any kind of liscensing from the state, which really limits what kind of income we can bring in.  Having a Felony on your record is like serving a life sentence in the working world.  Is that really right?  I can't even get a liscense to sell cars.  Oh by the way my drug connection was a Real Estate agent, still is, and he sells houses and pounds of marijuana.  Bet you he makes more selling the marijuana than houses

To all you unforgiving puritanical haters, who refuse to even consider giving a person whom has made a mistake a second chance, I can only hope that all of your bad karma will return to infect you miserable lives.  With luck your child or close relative will be in his or her 1st year at that prestigious university that you so proudly gloat about to anyone who will listen, and will be attending a freshman party and after a few to many beers, accepts a little marijuana in his or hers state of stupor, and unwittingly heads back to the dorm and suddenly one of their friends does something stupid and a campus cop puts them against a wall and searches them and "Oh No" your little angel forgot to take the "pot" out of their pocket.  I'm sure it will be just an innocent mistake, and one mistake shouldn't wreck you childs life forever. But "Too Late" your little precious cupcake is a "FELON" FOREVER.  At that time your hypocrisy will never be so evident as you beg, plead, and spend money to give your child the 2nd chance they deserve.  But you know what?  Because of the legislation you personally pushed through years earlier your child won't even be able to be a lowly real estate agent.  Karma is real and hopefully some of you people in this post will get yours.  Buddhist believe that people who lack the ability to show compassion will return in the next life, not as a human but as a lowly creature.  If I had to think of a creature that most resembles you haters, it would probobly be along the lines of a "Cockroach".  Good Luck and I'm glad I'm not you.

Michael Phelps the greatest olympic champion of our time may have a legal problem for smoking marijuana that could result in a felony conviction.  If he is convicted he won't be able to get a real estate license in many states.  Would you be afraid to let Mr. Phelps represent you in a real estate transaction if he were an agent?  Now do you realize how rediculous it is to catogorize all felons as the same?  Every state needs to have a review board that will allow individuals with a felony conviction to get license to enable them to earn a living if its deemed giving them a particular license doesn't jepordize the public in any way.  It's just plain old "Common Sense", rememeber when the majority of Americans use to have it?

I think that it should be regulated but not every felon is the same. I think you guys are overreacting. I bet all of you critics at one time or another have commited some type of crime ex.. drinking and driving, no seatbelts, ran redlight, maybe even experimented with drugs like the magnificent micheal phelps so dont be so quick to judge people I mean heck our biggest example of poor character and bad morals was george bush jr. himself so lighten up

this b@@@h is crazy i bet she is the biggest fraud and ripoff in the country if you believe in the lord you better bite your tongue miss perfect please shut up i am getting queasy you phony hypocrite

Shawn,

I feel sorry for you being so closed minded and judgmental. Do you really think that someone who goes to all the trouble to start over and get a license and try to make a living is going to jeopardize their new life by doing something stupid? They should be punished for the rest of their lives, denied the right to earn a decent living with respect for something they have paid the price for?

You are one of those people who'd rather see them go back to crime or work a minimum wage job.

Sorry, not all mistakes should be life ruining. 

What do you want someone who made a mistake in youth to do? Never be able to work again and be a burden on the tax and welfare system? Some of the smartest people have made mistakes in life, people you'd never suspect. Believe me.

Keep in mind you don't have to have been caught before to do something bad now. Many people steal and cheat and are never caught.

Shawn,  Please come back on this blog and admit that you were wrong.  That you were wrong to condem a whole group of people just to get some personal recognition from some of your shallow closed minded associates.  Did you really think that the majority of the people on this blog are incapable of compassion or lack basic common sense and intelligence?  Most even thinking individuals realize that all FELONS shouldn't be barred from selling real estate simply because they have a felony conviction.  IT DEPENDS ON THE FELONY!  Ofcourse we don't want the serial burgler to get a license, but we also don't want the lady who wrote a bad check for $30.00 twenty years ago and has since gone on tho raise her children and get a college degree to be bared from getting a license.  Please atleast admit that a review board should be able to decide and grant certain felons a license. PLEASE, so most of the bloggers on this site don't think that you and other real estate licensees like you are the biggest idiots on the planet.  PLEASE

What about those who made stupid mistakes in the past and are trying in every way possible to change their lives and make an honest living?  Should these people be given a second chance if they are proving themselves to deserve one?  Or should we just let these people be left with no other option but to go back to their old ways and commit crimes to survive becausenobody will give them a chance because of their past.  These people may as well just stay on welfare and wallow in their illegal activities and forget even trying to maintain a clean and healthy life.  If this is their only option they will not only keep themselves downtrodden but they will bring down the rest of society with them........  We must give those who are really trying to improve themselves and that have learned from their mistake a second chance at life instead of pushing them back down from where they are trying so hard to keep from.  It is everybody's social responsibility to recognize these people who are attempting to better themselves and give them as much of a chance as anyone else....... 

I just want to say Shawn, I do think you are being harsh on convicted felons.  I am a convicted felon for possession of marijuanna.  It has been 13 years and lord I have paid for it.  I have been a Paralegal for 9 years now (mostly doing contract work because of my background) and I am 3 classes from getting my MBA.  It has been so hard trying to get a job.  I am attempting to get my Real Estate License here in TN now.  THey are very strict and you must submit a background check and the disposition of your felony (ies) along with the application.  I do not know if I will get turned down but I am going to try because I have paid my dues to society and it is something i truly want to do.  I think you are saying that the courts in VA should ween out certain crimes from getting a license and I do agree that you are correct.  Although it is annoying to have to go through this over and over again (disclosing my felony) I do understand why it should be done.  I did have a drug charge but I am a good person and I would never take from anyone and I will explain to my best ablity on my license application such and just hope for the best.  I just want a chance to live and provide for my family.  I understand your standing but I do think you should atleast reconsider your position and say that License should be allowed on a case by case basis to felons.  If I applied at your office I would hope that you would atleast hear me out and take my past into consideration instead of saying HELL NO.  

I think everyone that has something bad to say about "felons" as a whole deserves the same criticism I hear everyday. I agree some "felons" do deserve what they get...the ones that dont care. Im married with kids, I got a Master degree in Computer Science. I have spent thousands of dollars on Treatment that i didnt have to do in the first place. I have spent thousands of dollars on school so that hopefully a job will look past my record. I am extremely knowledgeable. I am sorry for what I done and ANYBODY that knows me will definitly agree with me. I hope everyone that writes negative about felons decides they want to go to a party and drink, somebody hits them for singing too loud, both people ending up in jail and convicted of assault, landing YOU with a felony record so you can get on this site and read what you have said now about "yourself", even though you know that you may not be that bad of a person.

Hello... I am a convicted felon from 18 years ago and love my life.  I used to drink until drunk and then steal things, like a fool, of course.  I am 42 now and have a 20 month old daughter named Mila who is lovely in every sense of the word, my wife, works for Homeland Security.  I'm certainly not proud of my past or decision making process however I've learned to overcome by changing my habits and outlook on life.  I was adopted and I believe that it affected how I looked at myself, thus causing me to act out which ultimately turned into being a convicted felon.  I did 9 months of jail time, not prison time and two years of successful probation.  Since I was an athlete in high school it carried into my adult life and once every other year I'll run a marathon and I always work out, don't eat meat and read daily.  I drink wine on occasion but never have any idea to "act out" or commit any type of crime.  My sister is a counselor for her high school as well writes text books for schools...her husband works for the agricultural department and they have three happy children.  My retired parents worked for Boeing (dad) and taught english at University (mother)...they now spend their time volunteering for the Red Cross.  I'm a very very funny guy, write once in a while and can carry a tune.....and my daughter and I dance together every day.  The reason I share all of this is because possibly, maybe, some of you looking down on felons may be able to make parallels with your own lives and families and realize that some of us aren't so bad.  I was stupid and made poor decisions in the past, but as a friend of mine, ask someone who works for me "can you rely on Julian?" and they'll only look at you quizzically thinking "of course."  Believe me, all of you, believe it or not, KNOW a felon and would more than likely be shocked to find out.  Remember, things George Bush did are considered felonies in most countries to the point where laws had to be changed in the country if he were slated to visit....Imagine that!  Laws had to be changed just for his visit so people would try and arrest him!  Anyhow, I digress.  Oh, and just to let you know, I own a Real Estate office with 21 agents to date working for me.  Be well...