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Launch HN: 70MillionJobs (YC S17) – Job board for people with criminal records

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Re: Launch HN: 70MillionJobs (YC S17) – Job board for people with criminal records

#401

Post by dang »

will_brown wrote: post #311

Just because I believe the number of reported violent crimes suggests our prison population is underpopulated, doesn't mean I don't also believe the system may currently be overpopulated with the wrong sorts. That's why I used numbers for sex crimes only, but more broadly we have ~2.2M inmates and 1.2M reported violent crimes per year, throwing out all non violent offenders it would still be hard to conclude our pris…

We detached this subthread from https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=14914006 and marked it off-topic.

Re: Launch HN: 70MillionJobs (YC S17) – Job board for people with criminal records

#402

Post by hueving »

abeisgreat wrote: post #376
civilian wrote: post #335

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Tech is far less sexist and racist than you think it is. This article isn't about tech specifically, but I think it does demonstrate that if anyone, there is positive-sexism [ed: for women] happening when it comes to recruitment in western workplaces. http://www.abc.net.au/news/2017-06-30/bilnd-recruitment-tria... Right now the demographic make up of companies don't match the population, that's true, but these compan…

You're forgetting to account for people who would be starting out in tech then find an environment that's impossible to work in so they leave the field. These smart, awesome people never get to be "trained programmers" because attitudes like this allow casual, often unintentional behaviors to ruin their days. Claiming this is a funnel problem is short sighted. We definitely need people in the funnel, but we also need…

The computer science graduation stats are heavily skewed male. It happens way before the company hiring and first job phase so taking punitive actions at the hiring level is idiotic.

Re: Launch HN: 70MillionJobs (YC S17) – Job board for people with criminal records

#404

Post by hueving »

brooklyn_ashey wrote: post #384
civilian wrote: post #335

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Tech is far less sexist and racist than you think it is. This article isn't about tech specifically, but I think it does demonstrate that if anyone, there is positive-sexism [ed: for women] happening when it comes to recruitment in western workplaces. http://www.abc.net.au/news/2017-06-30/bilnd-recruitment-tria... Right now the demographic make up of companies don't match the population, that's true, but these compan…

I don't know what most white people in this country feel, but I can only conclude what they feel from the state of their institutions.--James Baldwin

Presumably your definition of white is the convenient one that includes Asian people, right? Tech hiring has jack all to do with racism when the big companies are matching the ratios coming out of uni with CS degrees.

Re: Launch HN: 70MillionJobs (YC S17) – Job board for people with criminal records

#405

Post by leereeves »

will_brown wrote: post #311

Just because I believe the number of reported violent crimes suggests our prison population is underpopulated, doesn't mean I don't also believe the system may currently be overpopulated with the wrong sorts. That's why I used numbers for sex crimes only, but more broadly we have ~2.2M inmates and 1.2M reported violent crimes per year, throwing out all non violent offenders it would still be hard to conclude our pris…

> we have ~2.2M inmates and 1.2M reported violent crimes per year

Don't forget that many violent criminals commit more than one crime.

Re: Launch HN: 70MillionJobs (YC S17) – Job board for people with criminal records

#406

Post by Powerofmene »

Richard,

I think this is a terrific idea and can see the need. Do you foresee any difficulties obtaining VC? Just a bit curious given the in depth background checks they complete on founders. I hope that you get the funding that you may need for growth because I think this meets a tremendous need.

Kudos to you for making the changes you have made and then using that to help others.

Re: Launch HN: 70MillionJobs (YC S17) – Job board for people with criminal records

#407

Post by amcooper »

civilian wrote: post #381
brooklyn_ashey wrote: post #372

Earlier quoted context omitted.

not even slightly surprised someone piped in with "tech is far less racist and sexist" than I think it is. Being less of that than I think it is would get an afirmative, supportive response, rather than the knee-jerk denial I have come to expect.

Sorry, I just don't see the evidence. I haven't seen it in my personal experience, and I already laid out my take on the demographics. Is there evidence I'm missing? Besides my willingness to ask for evidence? :]

Let's clarify that 'your take on the demographics' was an article about Australia that was not specific to the tech industry.

Here's a relevant piece from the Los Angeles Times.

'One example: Google's own data showed women were promoted less often than men because workers need to nominate themselves. Women who did so got pushback. Based on her studies, [Joan C.] Williams [law professor, UC Hastings College of the Law] found that women are rewarded for modesty and penalized for what men might see as "aggressive" behavior. Google began including female leaders at workshops to coach everyone — men and women — on how to promote themselves effectively. The gender difference among nominees disappeared, Williams said.'

http://www.latimes.com/business/la-fi-women-tech-20150222-st...

Re: Launch HN: 70MillionJobs (YC S17) – Job board for people with criminal records

#408

Post by losteverything »

rweba wrote: post #347

I just randomly came across this very relevant TED talk given by a prison inmate yesterday: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F89eycANUrQ I definitely feel that American prison policy leans way too far on the side of moral judgement and retribution than rehabilitation. In my personal opinion, anyone who has served their term has already paid for their mistakes and we, as a society, should be more concerned with helping…

I can tell you with 100% certainty that there are felons that vote. I believe the system in our county is not perfect and thus mails out a voter registration to a convicted murderer that served his time and is now free.

Re: Launch HN: 70MillionJobs (YC S17) – Job board for people with criminal records

#409

Post by jopsen »

seanmcdirmid wrote: post #295
austenallred wrote: post #294

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Don't you have to reveal that you're a felon by law? I ask because we have a student in our CS academy who is in a very similar situation.

Depends on the state. In some, they aren't even allowed to ask (they have to run a background check to find out).

and in other countries they can't even do a background check.

some countries even wipe criminal records after some time.

Re: Launch HN: 70MillionJobs (YC S17) – Job board for people with criminal records

#410

Post by mobilefriendly »

rweba wrote: post #347

I just randomly came across this very relevant TED talk given by a prison inmate yesterday: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F89eycANUrQ I definitely feel that American prison policy leans way too far on the side of moral judgement and retribution than rehabilitation. In my personal opinion, anyone who has served their term has already paid for their mistakes and we, as a society, should be more concerned with helping…

The idea is that a felony is so egregious that you permanently lose some of the rights of civil society. Another right taken away forever is the right to own a firearm. The problem is that everything is a felony now.
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