Opening the door: Employment among biggest obstacles facing freed felons
David Duett’s job interview was going great.
The Columbus native had been referred for the position by the business’ owner. The hiring manager had come to the portion of the interview where she talked about salary and time off, and Duett was hopeful.
Mississippi ex-felons oppose merger of 2 voting rights cases
Some former convicts who want to regain voting rights in Mississippi say their lawsuit should stand on its own and not be merged with a similar case.
Lawsuit: Mississippi ‘harsh’ in denying ex-con voting rights
Mississippi has enacted unfair barriers that stop former convicts from regaining their right to vote, a new federal lawsuit says.
Lawsuit seeks to end Mississippi’s lifetime felon voting ban
Mississippi’s constitution bars its citizens from voting ever again after being convicted of certain felonies.
Columbus group hopes to help felons find jobs
In Columbus, a grassroots organization called “Released By Grace” hopes to improve the long odds that felons face in trying to find their way back into society.
Gov. signs suffrage bills for three
Gov. Phil Bryant has signed bills to restore the voting rights of three people convicted of felonies.
AG urges restoring voting rights to ex-inmates
Attorney General Eric Holder called on a group of states Tuesday to restore voting rights to ex-felons, part of a push to fix what he sees as flaws in the criminal justice system that have a disparate impact on racial minorities.
Slimantics: Hire a felon?
Tonight, the Columbus City Council will consider a proposal to amend its hiring policies as they apply to people with felony convictions.
This comes in the wake of enforcement guidelines issued recently by the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) that warned employers that making employment decisions based solely on a candidate’s criminal history could be considered discrimination.