With blackmail and fraud convictions (and a 3-year prison sentence behind you), I would hope that nobody would give you a job with access to systems that enable you to get at personal information or money. That's their business, of course; but they'd presumably be exposed to an action for negligence if something went wrong as a result of them employing someone with that record.
Blackmail and fraud are both offences that involve using others as means to ends, and require the ability to discount the damage and pain you cause to others. If I were hiring a coder (let alone a computer security consultant) I'd search for a long time before hiring someone with a record of that kind of untrustworthy behaviour.
Sorry to be blunt; I know that some companies pay good money to convicted criminal hackers for their expertise. But I think that's a deplorable practice; it encourages the view that hacking/cracking, blackmail and fraud are a sensible route into regular employment. I think those convictions should be a blocker.
Yeah, once someone makes a mistake they should absolutely be barred from gainful employment forever! That will teach them... that they should remain criminals. Yeah!
> presumably be exposed to an action for negligence if something went wrong as a result of them employing someone with that record.
That's just the type of bullshit that makes pizza restaurants not wanting to have a person with a criminal record anywhere in the building. It's a form of vigilante punishment that continues to for the life of a felon, way past the point where their debt to society has been supposedly paid.
Employers should be banned to ask or process such information. "Is currently wanted or on parole" - legitimate question, "was ever convicted" - No, you have no right to know that, except very limited cases defined by law: working with children and the vulnerable, large sums of cash, working in the financial sector etc.
If you want work in computer security, then you really shouldn't have a record of fraud. If you want to make pizzas, then you're not likely to defraud anyone but your employer; so it's her lookout. A blackmail conviction is a danger to other staff; it's the employer's responsibility to protect their employees against that risk.
This guy seems to be on probation, and under supervision of SOCA - he hasn't yet completed his sentence. Are we talking USA? He's a felon, and in most US states he will never again be allowed to vote in elections.
In this country you don't have to disclose prior convictions to anyone, beyond a certain date - I think something like ten years. I agree with that. In the same way, expired convictions can't be taken into account in sentencing deliberations. I agree with that too - I do think convictions should expire. Past acts shouldn't follow you around forever. But if you're on probation now for two serious crimes, I think it's crazy to say that a prospective employer shouldn't be allowed to ask, and to rely on your answer on pain of instant dismissal.
And FWIW I don't agree with the US practice of denying felons the vote.
Blackmail and fraud are both offences that involve using others as means to ends, and require the ability to discount the damage and pain you cause to others. If I were hiring a coder (let alone a computer security consultant) I'd search for a long time before hiring someone with a record of that kind of untrustworthy behaviour.
Sorry to be blunt; I know that some companies pay good money to convicted criminal hackers for their expertise. But I think that's a deplorable practice; it encourages the view that hacking/cracking, blackmail and fraud are a sensible route into regular employment. I think those convictions should be a blocker.