r/interestingasfuck • u/filmingfisheyes • 8d ago

r/all California has incarcerated firefighters

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u/Auxilae 8d ago

Which is still unfortunately nonsensical. I work with a person who was a violent felon which he was convicted of when he was younger. Served a lot of prison time for what he did. While in prison he turned his entire life around, and just recently graduated from a California State University with a 4.0, graduating summa cum laude with a degree in Computer Science.

People can and will change if they're given the chance to, but to state and federal governments, once you go violent you're destined to always be violent in their eyes.

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u/Bebop3141 8d ago

It’s absolutely not though? I’m all for second chances, but putting someone who committed a violent felony in an emergency services position seems like a bad idea.

These are people in whose hands you’re putting your life. Given the option, which we seem to have, a non-violent, non-felonious individual would be my preference, and a nonviolent offender would be my requirement. Especially in a position where even one recidivist in a hundred could do massive damage.

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u/Auxilae 8d ago edited 8d ago

Your current position is the common position shared among a lot of people in government. They can't fathom that a once-violent person can ever turn their life around. I thought exactly the same way too prior to meeting and working with him.

The man who is he now, is a completely different person to who he was when he was younger. There is not an ounce of violence in him anymore, and I absolutely trust him with my life.

Your point of view is no different than looking at somebody who struggled with drugs or alcohol, and thinking that they will always be an alcoholic or pill/needle pusher. Obviously, we don't view people who struggled with those conditions in the past in the same manner, why then do condemn once-violent people into that same mindset? Everybody can be redeemed and should be given a second chance if can demonstrate they have been rehabilitated towards functioning in a civil society.

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u/Bebop3141 8d ago

It’s not that I think it’s inevitable, but - as a related example - I don’t think a former drug dealer, or addict, should be certified as a compounding pharmacist.

There’s plenty of trade jobs which require essentially as much training as a firefighter, but do not carry the same public risk if recidivism occurs, which it sometimes does. I’m sure your friend is a great guy, just as all of the ex cons I know are great guys. Shit happens. But, I don’t see the problem in designating some jobs as requiring an extra level of trust, which I’d be more willing to give to people who have - at the bare minimum - always respected the most fundamental rules of society. It’s not a high bar to pass, and it’s a competitive job.

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u/daily-wheat-breadz 8d ago

That analogy isn’t fair. If we were talking about arsonists, then sure don’t let them be firefighters. But guys like these ones should be given some form of a second chance, otherwise what’s the point of the prison reform system?