# Felons you have known **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [December 15, 2013, 7:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/felons-you-have-known/676362 "2013-12-15T07:20:48Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![pythonzzz](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/9e8a1a/32.png) [@pythonzzz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pythonzzz)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2013, 7:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/felons-you-have-known/676362/1 "2013-12-15T07:20:48Z")
How many felons do you know? Just 1 as far as I know: Recently, there was a local search for a missing 13 y/o that was with a 40 y/o. After local law enforcement, FBI, SWAT teams found them both, he’s now awaiting court time in the county jail for a load of charges. The charges have been adjusted and the bail got reduced from 790,000 to 250,000 and the next court date is scheduled for 12-16. There’s an ongoing thread here: [http://www.websleuths.com/forums/showthread.php?t=227916](http://www.websleuths.com/forums/showthread.php?t=227916) What have your felons done lately? ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2013, 7:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/felons-you-have-known/676362/2 "2013-12-15T07:26:10Z")
I don’t know exactly. Twenty thousand or more I suppose. I worked in a prison for three decades. Maybe I’m skewing the average. ---
**Author:** ![Vagabond](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/258eb7/32.png) [@Vagabond](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Vagabond)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2013, 7:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/felons-you-have-known/676362/3 "2013-12-15T07:27:35Z")
How do we define felons? 1 People who you know have committed felonies 2 People who have a felony on their record ie convicted felons ---
**Author:** ![Blackberry](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ecd19e/32.png) [@Blackberry](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Blackberry)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2013, 7:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/felons-you-have-known/676362/4 "2013-12-15T07:41:11Z")
If they had to have gotten caught, then I think five. Otherwise, I don’t know. Two that I know of and I’m sure I have at least casually known several others. ---
**Author:** ![pythonzzz](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/9e8a1a/32.png) [@pythonzzz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pythonzzz)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2013, 7:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/felons-you-have-known/676362/5 "2013-12-15T07:49:57Z")
> [@Vagabond](#): > > How do we define felons? > > 1 People who you know have committed felonies > 2 People who have a felony on their record ie convicted felons Let’s keep it simple - those who have committed 'em and were convicted/pending. ---
**Author:** ![Alessan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alessan/32/465_2.png) [@Alessan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alessan)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2013, 7:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/felons-you-have-known/676362/6 "2013-12-15T07:55:54Z")
To the best of my knowledge, I don’t know any. In fact, off the top of my head, I can’t think of anyone I know who’s ever been _arrested_. I should probably get out more. ---
**Author:** ![Robot\_Arm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/robot_arm/32/18280_2.png) [@Robot\_Arm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Robot_Arm)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2013, 8:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/felons-you-have-known/676362/7 "2013-12-15T08:07:08Z")
> [@Alessan](#): > > I should probably get out more. Well, you might want to wait a bit and read what other posters have to say. It might turn out to be less fun than it sounds. ---
**Author:** ![chizzuk](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/e36b37/32.png) [@chizzuk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chizzuk)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2013, 8:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/felons-you-have-known/676362/8 "2013-12-15T08:10:05Z")
There are two that I know of who have been caught and punished. One, a classmate of my younger brother, is doing a life sentence for first-degree murder. The other, one of my former teachers, is out on parole after doing several years for child molestation. He’s a Tier 3 offender now (the worst), and according to the state registry is working at a car wash nearby. ---
**Author:** ![chappachula](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/d2c977/32.png) [@chappachula](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chappachula)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2013, 8:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/felons-you-have-known/676362/9 "2013-12-15T08:31:15Z")
I think we need to define how well you’ve known your felons. I’d say that, for this thread, “know” means that I’ve had friendly coversations with a person and if I cross paths with him again somewhere, I would greet him by name. I’ve heard of people from my high school who are in jail. But that doesn’t count; I might know the name of a felon,but I wouldn’t say “I know” a felon. So I’m with **Alessan** –I don’t think I know anybody who’s ever been arrested. ---
**Author:** ![Vagabond](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/258eb7/32.png) [@Vagabond](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Vagabond)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2013, 8:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/felons-you-have-known/676362/10 "2013-12-15T08:50:04Z")
> [@pythonzzz](#): > > Let’s keep it simple - those who have committed 'em and were convicted/pending. Cool. The 1980’s and 90’s for me, were spent wasting my youth in minimum wage jobs, rock bands and a few groups of “motorcycle enthusiasts” (NOT the goldwing riders association;) ) All good places to find felons. Of the people that came to my house, had my phone number, knew my middle name etc… I’d say outa 50-60 people, I know for a fact 15 were convicted felons. Most of them were DUI, drug possession/distribution , theft, one was counterfeiting, 3 murderers. At least one guy was a certifiable monster. ---
**Author:** ![casdave](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/c6cbf5/32.png) [@casdave](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/casdave)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2013, 8:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/felons-you-have-known/676362/11 "2013-12-15T08:56:04Z")
I’m pretty much in the same position as \*\*Little Nemo \*\* There are a small number who I know by reputation around and about where I used to live, but they don’t know me. ---
**Author:** ![Obeseus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/bbce88/32.png) [@Obeseus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Obeseus)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2013, 11:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/felons-you-have-known/676362/12 "2013-12-15T11:51:30Z")
I have two just counting siblings. Among those I knew while growing up, I’d say about 50 - primarily ‘business’ associates of my siblings and their circle. I used to know some of them well, but I don’t know them today. Most of them died in drug overdoses, drug-deals gone bad, or shootouts with police. Others are in prison where they belong. ---
**Author:** ![Inna\_Minnit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/5f8ce5/32.png) [@Inna\_Minnit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Inna_Minnit)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2013, 12:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/felons-you-have-known/676362/13 "2013-12-15T12:02:09Z")
Years ago, I dated a felon briefly. Second chances and all that bullspit. He left town with a married woman after breaking up her family and emptying the bank account. I did a google on him a while back. He died in a shootout with police. I guess I really dodged a bullet. ---
**Author:** ![MandaJo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ac91a4/32.png) [@MandaJo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MandaJo)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2013, 12:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/felons-you-have-known/676362/14 "2013-12-15T12:59:16Z")
As a teacher for over a decade, I’ve had more than a couple students go on to be felons, sometimes for very significant crimes. I imagine I’ve had some in my class who were felons, but that’s not the kind of thing they tell you. I had a very nice kid everyone liked go out after school one day and try to rob a bank. It was terrible: apparently his older brother needed bail money and he, the kid, panicked. Doesn’t mean he didn’t rob a bank, and you kind of have to have significant consequences for that, but it was more tragic than anything. I also had a former student beat his GF’s toddler to death just a year after he, the student, graduated. That was awful. That was worse than finding out a former student had died, which is more common than the felon thing. ---
**Author:** ![kayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayaker/32/441_2.png) [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2013, 1:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/felons-you-have-known/676362/15 "2013-12-15T13:53:23Z")
I know many people who have committed felonious victimless crimes, but haven’t been caught, mostly involving cannabis. One very good friend who was a convicted felon died last week at the age of 52 (liver cancer). Ironically, he did not commit the crime he confessed to and was convicted of. Longstoryshort he confessed to spare his buddy a third strike. He served 3 years of a 5 - 7. ---
**Author:** ![JBDivmstr](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/b4bc9f/32.png) [@JBDivmstr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JBDivmstr)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2013, 1:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/felons-you-have-known/676362/16 "2013-12-15T13:57:37Z")
Hmmmm… Well, _ **I’m** _ a 1%'er. As for how many I know _personally_, 10-12 give or take a few. Mostly drug (possession) related, although a couple/few of them had possession with intent to distribute cases, and at least one with a murder conviction. Rapists and other sex crime felons, _ **especially** _ those convicted of sex crimes with children, aren’t tolerated in my circle of friends and acquaintances. ---
**Author:** ![Sahirrnee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sahirrnee/32/13937_2.png) [@Sahirrnee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sahirrnee)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2013, 2:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/felons-you-have-known/676362/17 "2013-12-15T14:42:59Z")
More than a few. Probably more than I realize, when I stop to think about it. ---
**Author:** ![AncientHumanoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ancienthumanoid/32/278_2.png) [@AncientHumanoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AncientHumanoid)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2013, 2:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/felons-you-have-known/676362/18 "2013-12-15T14:43:22Z")
You mean, besides family? ---
**Author:** ![Loach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/loach/32/350_2.png) [@Loach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Loach)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2013, 2:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/felons-you-have-known/676362/19 "2013-12-15T14:47:21Z")
> [@Little\_Nemo](#): > > I don’t know exactly. Twenty thousand or more I suppose. > > I worked in a prison for three decades. Maybe I’m skewing the average. I am too. Although not quite as much as you. ---
**Author:** ![Blackberry](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ecd19e/32.png) [@Blackberry](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Blackberry)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2013, 2:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/felons-you-have-known/676362/20 "2013-12-15T14:54:21Z")
> [@kayaker](#): > > One very good friend who was a convicted felon died last week at the age of 52 (liver cancer). Ironically, he did not commit the crime he confessed to and was convicted of. Longstoryshort he confessed to spare his buddy a third strike. He served 3 years of a 5 - 7. Did the buddy not go on and get another third strike then? [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/felons-you-have-known/676362.md?page=2)