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[sciencephd]

Ayers was never convicted so not analogous to the OP's situation.  A more analogous situation would be Ollie North, if he worked in academia. Ollie was convicted and then pardoned.

Of course it's analagous.  The conviction or lack thereof is not relevant, because his crimes were public knowledge.  The only possible issue is the fact that Ayer's quasi-leftist/anarchist politics elicits sympathy from many academics, because they are leftists.

Right, so the rule of law has nothing to do with things. Courts and lawyers and judges aren't needed either. By that standard, G.W. should never get another job because everyone knows he violated the law, many times.

He admitted it.  What part of that don't you understand ?  Or maybe someone should Google it for you ?

[diefluffykitty]

I think that we have a tendency in academia to want to encourage people, and we tend to be optimistic when someone asks whether they have a shot at a particular career. But be realistic -- it's extremely hard to get a job as a professor now. Search committees, deluged with applicants, wind up rejecting candidates for the most trivial of reasons, from minute imperfections in their vitae to imagined personality quirks. Most of these pale in comparison to having spent time in jail for a violent offense. There is no way that the OP would have made it through any search committee I've ever served on, regardless of his academic merits.

Is it impossible that he'd get a job? Of course not. But it's very unlikely. My advice, therefore, would be that if he wants to take a PhD, to map out some career path other than the professoriate. If by some fluke he gets a job, that's great. But regard that as a slight outside chance, not as a primary career goal.

This is exactly right.

I don't think it is right. The crime was half a lifetime ago and the time has been served. I think he has a mild disadvantage in the job market, no more than that. And if his research takes advantage of his life experiences in a convincing way, perhaps a better than even chance.

[tuxedo_cat]

I don't think it is right. The crime was half a lifetime ago and the time has been served. I think he has a mild disadvantage in the job market, no more than that. And if his research takes advantage of his life experiences in a convincing way, perhaps a better than even chance.

Thank you.  I believe I offered this suggestion a few pages back.  But I don't think it's a mild disadvantage.  I'll try not to take any of this personally given the. . .  um. . . inevitable conflicts that may arise between me and this new and mysterious poster.

In any case, I think the OP gave his version of FCF many pages back, so we're all just yakking at one another at this point.

[neniaf]

I wish I could tell you that, given a clean record since your offense, all would be forgiven and you could comfortably move ahead toward a satisfying career in academia.  I see, however, two major problems for you in your quest.  The first is the obvious risk the university would be assuming by hiring someone they know, or should know, has previously committed a violent offense.  As changed as you might be, the university would be on notice that you had offended in the past, and should, God forbid, anything happen again, they would be taking on serious liability.  The second problem may not be as apparent, but is one I've seen in operation as an administrator.  You are likely to become a lightening rod around whom students, parents, faculty, staff, and community members, would coalesce any time they are angry at the institution for any reason.  When tuition goes up, the calls will start coming in to the administrative offices, and while they will start with specific complaints about tuition, they will end with, "And on top of that, my little girl's sociology professor is a convicted felon!  We thought we were sending her to a good school.  Why should we pay more for that!"  Ditto for cuts to athletic programs, Johnny's poor chemistry grade, and the fraternity making noise in the neighborhood.  It gives those wishing to fight the institution ammunition against it, and is something that most universities would like to avoid.  If you were a seasoned expert in your field, they may be willing to shoulder the controversy, but with a new Ph.D. in, frankly, a crowded field, they are less likely to be tolerant.  I'm afraid that you are unlikely to have an easy road in academia.

[philo]

Co-sign!
Folks, more thsan TWO DECADES have passed since this crime the OP was convicted and sentenced for. 

No, apparently it has been a little more than one decade.

[11149921]

Where do you stand on a certificate of good conduct?

[pyromania]

Where do you stand on a certificate of good conduct?

Welcome to the fora 11149921!

[sciencephd]

Where do you stand on a certificate of good conduct?

With both feet firmly planted.  When you are on thin ice, it is important to distibute the load evenly.

[kedves]

State laws vary and the CGC doesn't expunge or cancel the criminal record, but it can remove or reduce problems with official licensing barriers, and employers may be required to consider it along with other information; they can discriminate in hiring on the basis of a conviction only if the conviction is related to the job being considered.   Like any anti-discrimination laws, these are enforced only to the extent that employers comply or are made to comply, and not every state has them.  However, I would encourage anyone with a criminal record to consider applying for the certificate (or considering the legal process of appealing any less-than-honorable military discharge).

While there is research on employment and discrimination for job candidates with a criminal record or the evidence of same in experimental studies, I don't know of research specifically about academic jobs or of current faculty members with a status similar to the OP's.  There are several faculty members nationally with nonviolent records.  The one faculty member I know of with a violent felony conviction, mentioned upthread, committed a worse crime 40 years before and, rumor has it, his university knew of his record but fired him as a result of public outcry.  I know of no case analogous to the OP's.  There may be one, but that's something the OP needs to find out; there may not be one, and then the OP is walking an unmarked trail.  It looks as if none of us can answer the OP's question with any degree of certainty.  For that reason, I have intentionally refrained from giving my thoughts on his chances; I don't think they matter. 

[dgcamp]

I doubt you will get past the background check that is now required at most institutions.  Define violent? 

It is sort of a shame you will be automatically dismissed in most cases.  You would likely be an instructor who could bring a lot of perspective to sociology or criminal justice type classes (juvenile delinquency, corrections, systems, etc...).  You might have a chance to enter academia if you became really famous (e.g., write a popular book) and get your advanced degree.  I think you should get your Ph.D. no matter what.  You will find a way to put it to good use, no matter what you end up doing.

[voxprincipalis]

I doubt you will get past the background check that is now required at most institutions.  Define violent? 

It is sort of a shame you will be automatically dismissed in most cases.  You would likely be an instructor who could bring a lot of perspective to sociology or criminal justice type classes (juvenile delinquency, corrections, systems, etc...).  You might have a chance to enter academia if you became really famous (e.g., write a popular book) and get your advanced degree.  I think you should get your Ph.D. no matter what.  You will find a way to put it to good use, no matter what you end up doing.

Did you read the thread?

VP