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Branson Sutton
Mrs. DeBock
22 September 2016
English IV
Essential Question: How does acquiring felonious charges as a teen impact an individual for the
rest of his or her life?
Working Thesis: Acquiring felonious charges as a teen negatively impact an individual for the
rest of his or her life.
Refined Thesis: Acquiring felonious charges as a teenager negatively impacts an individual
economically and mentally.

Bamzi Banchiri, Staff. "Federal Jobs for Felons: Why 'Ban The Box' Could Soon Be a Thing of
The Past." Christian Science Monitor 02 May 2016: N.PAG. Points of View Reference
Center. Web. 13 Sept. 2016.

In this article Banchiri talks about how the Obama administration is pushing to remove
questions about ones criminal record on federal job applications until further in the employment
process, when there is a conditional offer of employment.. Currently, becoming a felon is
basically a life sentence to poverty as many job applications require that the applicants inform
the employer that the applicant is a felon. Many employers will immediately disregard these
felons rather than give them a chance to prove themselves as employees. Because of this trend
with employers not hiring felons it forces the felons to either live a life of poverty or go back to
their criminal ways in order to make money. This article will help the research to understand the

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struggles that a felon faces when trying to become financially stable after they are convicted of a
crime.

Mauer, Marc, and Hans von Spakovsky. "Should Felons Be Allowed to Vote?" New York Times
Upfront 2016: 22. Academic OneFile. Web. 13 Sept. 2016.

The article Should Felons Be Allowed to Vote? debates why felons should be able to
vote and why felons should not be able to vote. This article discusses both sides of the argument
and goes more in depth on the benefits of allowing or not allowing a person with a criminal
record to vote. On the side that is for the right to vote being given to these felons, it talks about
how allowing felons to vote will make them feel as if they are apart of their community.
Whenever these criminals return home they are expected to work, pay taxes, and overall be
responsible, law-abiding citizens and denying these people the right to vote makes felons feel
like second class citizens. On the other hand, the article talks about why felons should not be
allowed to vote once they complete their punishment or sentencing. We do not want individuals
that have knowingly and willingly broken the law the ability to vote and change some of the laws
that they may have broken. This article will help the research to understand the controversy
regarding whether or not felons should be allowed to vote and how allowing them to vote could
affect their lives.

Paulose, Rachel Kunjummen. "Convicted Felons Face Ongoing Consequences." Insights On

Law

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& Society 16.1 (2015): 21. Points of View Reference Center. Web. 13 Sept. 2016.

Rachel Pauloses article discusses and goes over how felons are affected by their crimes
for the rest of their lives because of the loss of basic rights that every citizen in America has.
Felons are unable to vote, they are permitted from carrying or buying any firearms, they can not
enlist into the military, they may be restricted from living in certain neighborhoods due to zoning
laws, they are not allowed to be on any jury, and they are unable to acquire any economic
benefits from the governments such as welfare or foodstamps. Even felons that have gone years
without committing any crimes or having any infractions on their record have to abide by these
strict laws. These laws make it difficult for felons to recover from the crimes they committed and
it more often than not leads these felons back to the criminal way of life. Pauloses article will
help the research to further understand exactly what felons are faced with after they have been
convicted of their crimes.