Let me start off by giving you some definitions:

Addict-

 –noun

1. a person who is addicted  to an activity, habit, or substance: a drug addict.

–verb (used with object)

2. to cause to become physiologically or psychologically dependent on an addictive  substance, as alcohol or a narcotic.

Addiction-

-noun

1. the state of being enslaved to a habit or practice or to something that is psychologically or physically habit-forming, as narcotics, to such an extent that its cessation causes severe trauma.

Felony-

–noun, plural -nies. Law .

1. an offense, as murder or burglary, of graver character than those called misdemeanors, especially those commonly punished in the U.S. by imprisonment for more than a year.

I started this petition in hopes of giving forgotten rehabilitated drug felons a second chance at life. These people are addicts. Addicts have an addiction, it is a disease. They should try to be rehabilitated in stead of getting a felony. Look at the definition above, murder, burglary, of graver character than those called misdemeanors. Drug addicts hurt themselves mainly, when alcoholics drink and drive and endanger other people’s lives and family only get a misdemeanor. They are both a disease and I am not suggesting one is better then the other, just a lesser crime and that doesn’t make sense. There are more repeat felony offenders than rehabilitated felons. I can tell you why there is more repeat offender than rehabilitated felons. Addicts get charged with a felony, they serve their time in jail, they complete their probation or parole, and they get out into the world and are smacked in their face with the label of a felon. As a felon you CANNOT volunteer at your child’s school, you can’t get a decent paying job or in some cases a job at all, there is little to no options for them to further their education with college and be able to get a job. Government agencies or any place that the government funds (i.e. medicare) will not hire a felon. However, the government will provide a felon with food stamps, welfare, and insurance. With the challenges they face and the past smacking them in their face every time they try to get somewhere in life, most find out they can’t change anything and provide for their family so they revert back to their old way. This is why it is important to reward the ones who get smacked in the face but don’t get knocked down. People can be rehabilitated I have seen it for myself. State, counties, and cities are starting now to offer drug court or diversion. This would mean that they have to complete probation and they will not be charged with a felony. This is a great step in the right direction. However, we need to change it for the felons who were not offered this and have done great things without it. They need a second chance! In the State of Kentucky the only way you can get a class C felony expunged is to have a class C drug felony and have been offered diversion. I don’t know if you have seen a drug felon’s record, but, it looks like they are a murderer!  I ask you to please help me help the people who helped themselves! Please remember that an addiction is a disease before it is a crime.

Thank you for taking the time to read this,

 Jessica