Our loved ones and close friends bear the unfortunate marks of past felonies, many of these white-collar blemishes dating back years to the point of being irrelevant to their current character. They bear these marks even after paying their dues and embracing change and responsibility wholeheartedly. Yet, this deeply etched past hinders their progress, barring them from employment opportunities because of their record. 

Now, we enter an era where our incoming President of the United States reportedly has 34 felony convictions, liable for sexual assault, among other offenses, and still holds one of the highest positions in the land. This dichotomy raises profound questions about the inconsistency and fairness of our background checks' depth and breadth across various levels of security clearance – from Public Trust to the highest clearance.

In light of these disparities, we call for a mandate requiring all Federal, State, and local government agencies to methodically review and update the background investigation qualifications for full-time employees and contractors regarding any past felony convictions. Furthermore, it is of paramount importance to determine how an individual's past encounters with law enforcement relate to their job qualifications, particularly those with reformed lives.

According to a survey by the Society for Human Resource Management, nearly seven in 10 organizations conduct criminal background checks on all job candidates. Still, the criminal justice system's impact on employment prospects for Americans with felony convictions is huge, leaving an estimated 70 million people with records to struggle to find work.

Together, let us strive to create a society that upholds fairness, gives room for reformation, and applies equitable scrutiny from the basic employment level to the highest echelons of governance. Sign this petition and support the recalibration of our background check system. Your signature will bring us a step closer to ensuring that there is equal scrutiny and fairness at all levels of employment.