next »

[inquiring_misfit]

This may be a very unusual topic for many of you in this community, but I would like to know, as honestly and sincerely as possible from many of you in higher education, whether it is feasible for a violent ex-offender to obtain a position as a professor--be it adjunct, assistant, etc--after receiving a Ph.D. More importantly, what barriers are present in this undertaking and what problems do this present to most faculty--real, rather than perceived problems? Also, what institutions are more likely to not only accept someone with such background but will take such student and future candidate serious enough to give him an opportunity to learn, teach, and conduct research? I ask this question in all seriousness and hope to receive an overwhelming amount of feedback from those in academia and people working as chairs to doctoral students as well as those in administrative positions responsible for hiring teaching faculty. As an ex-offender, I have been seriously thinking about attending graduate school for a degree in sociology and am very passionate about research and teaching. After committing a violent crime and serving an extensive sentence, I obtained a Bachelor of Social Work and have been working since 2004. While the plight of many ex-offenders is bleak and wretched, I must admit that I've been relatively successful at "reintegration." However, life is still lived on the margins, and perhaps will always be, but I am now looking to return to grad school and would like to avidly and committedly pursue studies on a doctoral level, which will ultimately translate into research (social issues) and teaching. I would appreciate whatever advice, insight, or information you may have to help me make an informed decision about pursuing a doctoral degree.

[kedves]

Generally speaking, administrators who are not faculty are not the main people responsible for hiring faculty; search committee members, chairs, and deans make those decisions--and all of those people are faculty.  I don't know of a case in which a search committee had to make this decision, but my experience is limited to knowledge of a handful of places and getting information by rumor, not as a member of the search committee.  Hopefully, other people here will have more information.  (Sorry, I just noticed the forum you put this post in--I'm not a chair or a dean, if that's who you want to hear from.)

Having said that, I'm going to make some guesses.  I guess that this will be a problem.  Universities are extraordinarily sensitive to public opinion and pressure from parents.  The U.S. public takes a very punitive view of criminal justice (68% say that punishment should be harsher while 1 in 100 adults is in prison).  

The only case involving a professor ex-offender that I know of specifically was at Penn State a few years ago (link).  It was rumored locally that the university knew of his record and fired him in reaction to public opinion when his history became known, but the university denied knowing and appears not to have asked officially as a matter of procedure.  He didn't lie about his record, but the university wouldn't stand by him when the heat got too intense.

The best path I see is to be open about your life story so no one can deny knowing about it and so that the parts fit together.  This is only my guess, as I don't have information to draw from about cases other than the one above.  In sociology, the natural way to do that would be to focus on study and research in criminology.  It's the hottest field in sociology with more demand than supply for faculty, which helps with job-hunting, and many interesting topics are emerging--restorative justice, effectively decreasing recidivism for sex offenders, prison conditions, myth of expungement, connections between demography, criminology, and associated medical and cost issues (aging prison population), and increased interest in white-collar crime, to name a few.   The stigma of the ex-offender label is more important than ever now that a record percentage of our population has it or will have it--a good research topic.

I would guess that reaction will depend in part on the offense (robbery or assault will be viewed with more moderation than rape or homicide).  The more time that passes, the better.  Your work may have to be better than other people's to be seen as comparable.  I recommend talking directly to some faculty members in sociology or criminology, criminal justice, and social work schools or departments for advice about your career--do information interviews.  The sociology Ph.D. takes people to all of those types of programs as faculty; each has a different emphasis, but I don't know if one field would be more or less welcoming than the others.  You may need to have a plan B after grad school such as continuing with a career in social work or working directly with offenders or ex-offenders rather than as a faculty member.  Someone you meet may know of an example or role model of whom I am not thinking.  I will be interested to know what you find out, if you can report back later.

Good luck.

[pyromania]

OK.  Let's assume that this is not a troll...

No misfit, you will never become a university professor.  You will fail any background check and should not be in any kind of job that gives you access to young people.  Your history suggests you do not play well with others.  Instead, I suggest you consider alternative employment opportunities.

[cat_on_track]

I think Kedves gave good advice; it depends on your offense and you must be open about your past, plus you must stress your work and behavior since your release. Universities do not necessarily do background checks (while the traditional student may be "young people," they are adults, not minors), but you should add a paragraph in any application letter. If your offense was perpetrated against a minor, was a sexual assault, or an attack against the little ol' lady next door, your application will be rejected right away. If your offense was in self-defense, you'll have a much better chance.

I have had ex-offenders in classes (as eager to undo the past damage and rebuild their lives as you seem to be) and had the pleasure of meeting a not-so-young man who was pardoned after more than 25 years in prison and whose work with other prisoners and at-risk youth had earned him the respect of many, including a past president.

The major question that will be asked by anybody (academic employment or not) is are you a danger to those around you? As you have worked in Social Work since 2004, you have a record of responsible employment and experience; if your research will be focused on ex-offenders and reintegration or prison life, you may even bring expertise to the table that others won't - nothing beats participant observation ;)

[balancing_act]

OP, what about options outside of academia? Others here may have more specific suggestions for career options that  involve teaching and research outside the university setting.

[sinatra]

I'd tend to agree with kedves. The Penn State incident has had a number of ripple effects in higher ed, especially with accountability being what it is today. I'd also agree that the nature of the violent crime would determine your level of success. If you served time for aggravated assault or assault with a deadly weapon, you would not stand much of a chance at all. If you served time for some time of burglary/grand theft and your partner killed someone during the commission of it, that might go over better. This is not terribly encouraging, but it's as honest as it gets.

[kamiakin]

What kind of crime are we talking about? If it was a sex crime, forget it. Beat up an old lady? No way. Got in a bar fight that ended with someone pretty badly hurt? Maybe.

We need to know the crime to offer any useful advice.

[dr_mcmom]

Forafolk:
OP is not even in grad school yet! 

OP - if you are able to get into a good program, that is your opportunity to show your new reformed self, your sincerity about your new goals, your commitment to making chance - not just personally but systemically since you indicate that is your area of interest.

Those years in grad school will give you time to cultivate relationships with faculty who can serve as references for you.  Furthermore, being active in student groups of your discipline's professional organizations can be a means for you to cultivate key relationships with potential employers/colleagues.

Come now faculty - we know that if an institution wants a candidate badly enough, they can make it happen.  Just keep the record SQUEAKY clean from this point on, BE TRANSPARENT about your past, and I think you'd fare just fine.

Best wishes!

[systeme_d_]

On your applications to some graduate programs, you will be required to list felony convictions.  In all of the states with which I am familiar, this information is not used in departmental admissions, but may be used at the Graduate School level.  In practice, the Graduate School can recommend that a department deny an applicant with a felony on her record, and would generally do so if the applicant is seeking admission to a field that leads to or requires state or federal licensure in order to practice.  Education, social work and psychology would be examples of such fields.  Directors of departmental graduate programs would sometimes be privy to this information, but could not, legally or ethically, disclose this information to the full admissions committee.

Many employers, including universities, also require applicants for professorial positions to disclose felony convictions.  Again, this information would not be necessarily passed on to the department to which one is applying, but would usually be dealt with at the Human Resources level.  Practices at the HR level in this regard vary by state.

I would strongly advise you to contact professors currently working in sociology departments who do research on (or advocacy for) formerly incarcerated persons.  There are many.  These folks would likely be the best resources for real answers to your questions.  In your search for appropriate graduate programs, you will likely come across many faculty members with expertise in this area.  I would advise you to make your first inquiries to professors affiliated with sociology programs to which you will not be applying, but that are also located in states with programs to which you will be applying.  (Perhaps you might identify some professors who work in sociology departments with no graduate programs.)

Good luck to you.

[inquiring_misfit]

This is my reply to all of you who have taken your time to lend me your honest opinion, insight, and encouragement. I have been struggling with this decision for quite sometime and have always felt the unavoidable discouragement that comes with making a career decision after having served time in prison. Despite the narrow possibility of ever making it as a sociologist, I am encouraged by many of you who have extended your sincere advice and knowledge of this particular issue. I did not mention that I have already been accepted into several high-standing programs for social work, and have been as open and honest about my past as possible with every college I've attended and plan on attending. I guess the main issue for me was finding validation from people who are in critical positions from which these decisions are made. systeme_d, dr_mcmom, sinatra, cat_on_track, and kedves, thank you much for the information. I really appreciate your help. I can't express to you how much it helps to know that there are people who not only understand the situation but can give consultation on how to go about accomplishing this. While I have nothing much to fear in terms of honesty, disclosure, and change, it is chiefly stigma that hinders my progress and prompts me, as other ex-offenders, to settle for an unfulfilling station in life. Once again, thank you much.

Best Regards

[voxprincipalis]

Presuming, of course, that you do keep a squeaky clean record from now on (and I would advise adding volunteer work to your daily life, as that will be another point in favor of your "rehabilitation"), it occurs to me that this background might make you unusually well-qualified for some community college jobs. Before anyone jumps on me, of course I am not saying that CC students are criminals! But CCs do tend to have a significant percentage of students who are struggling financially as well as educationally, who are single parents with little income, who come from family and socio-economic backgrounds that aren't necessarily supportive of their educational goals, and who are trying to turn their lives around. Sometimes these students have made mistakes that they fear will prevent them from achieving their goals. (Of course, that is true at four-year schools too.) I think that you would be able to provide a real service to those students and would serve as an excellent role model. You might also consider student advising at that level.

I do think it's true that you will have to work harder than others to be a competitive player, but I think that to the right school and committee your application could be very compelling (especially if you write the right kind of cover letter). Look at what happened to Frank Abagnale, after all.

I wish you luck.

VP

[sibyl]

I agree that such a career is possible, but there are several hurdles.  Chief among them is the nature of your offense.  I don't agree with kamiakin that you need to reveal your offense here, but I do agree with kamiakin that assault or battery are easier to overcome than rape or murder. 

Second is the parlous state of the academic job market.  While academia may be more forgiving than many other professions (law, for instance), it is also very much a buyer's market, and long-term trends indicate that this state will continue.  Aearch committees receiving, say, 200 applications for a single position will need to winnow the field somehow, and many of them will find a felony conviction an easy disqualifier.

These are serious obstacles.  It seems you've already faced several obstacles with determination and a sincere effort to stay on the right side of the law.  These may or may not be able to stop you.  Good luck.

[inquiring_misfit]

Presuming, of course, that you do keep a squeaky clean record from now on (and I would advise adding volunteer work to your daily life, as that will be another point in favor of your "rehabilitation"), it occurs to me that this background might make you unusually well-qualified for some community college jobs. Before anyone jumps on me, of course I am not saying that CC students are criminals! But CCs do tend to have a significant percentage of students who are struggling financially as well as educationally, who are single parents with little income, who come from family and socio-economic backgrounds that aren't necessarily supportive of their educational goals, and who are trying to turn their lives around. Sometimes these students have made mistakes that they fear will prevent them from achieving their goals. (Of course, that is true at four-year schools too.) I think that you would be able to provide a real service to those students and would serve as an excellent role model. You might also consider student advising at that level.

voxprincipalis I thought of this route and think this is more feasible than working at a four-year university. However, I do have strong research interests, and from what I understand, rarely, if ever, does faculty at community colleges engage in ongoing research. While working at a CC with a student population from a lower socio-economic background will be fulfilling in many other ways, I fear that I will never get the opportunity to build a strong CV. The most obvious route for pursuing doctoral studies is like many other members mentioned before: crime, deviance, and social control, the branch of sociology that is now in demand. My interest, however, expands this field and I am also concerned that I may be pigeonholed. Unfortunately, reality and truth are hard to beat. So I think you are right. I have also been looking into this possibility. I appreciate your input on the subject! And yes, my record WILL remain clean. I was 18 at the time of my crime; I'm now in my 30s.

[neutralname]

I don't believe that any employer ever ran a background check on me for academic jobs, and I am sure that our college does not run background checks on our adjunct faculty.  I doubt that they do so for full time faculty.  I imagine that many colleges do not do such checks.

I expect that one of the central questions regarding employability is what comes up when search committee members do a google search on the OP's name.  OP may want to change his name, or go by a middle name rather than first name.

[inquiring_misfit]

I agree that such a career is possible, but there are several hurdles.  Chief among them is the nature of your offense.  I don't agree with kamiakin that you need to reveal your offense here, but I do agree with kamiakin that assault or battery are easier to overcome than rape or murder. 

Second is the parlous state of the academic job market.  While academia may be more forgiving than many other professions (law, for instance), it is also very much a buyer's market, and long-term trends indicate that this state will continue.  Aearch committees receiving, say, 200 applications for a single position will need to winnow the field somehow, and many of them will find a felony conviction an easy disqualifier.

These are serious obstacles.  It seems you've already faced several obstacles with determination and a sincere effort to stay on the right side of the law.  These may or may not be able to stop you.  Good luck.

I was thinking about this. I agree. I know my offense will not be well received without an explanation of the circumstances (both aggravating and mitigating) surrounding my crime, and I have experienced a number of automatic dismissals from hiring personnel for the most menial jobs out there, so I am certain this will be a problem for an academic position. However, I was wondering whether the institution I attend, the program I get accepted to, and the quality of work I perform will have an impact on my employability. I want to believe that a great program and institution will afford me greater opportunities for research. But what about teaching? Teaching assistantships and instructorships while in grad school? Do you think this will also be a hurdle?