What a criminal record does to your ability to get a job these days, as compared to the past is pretty harsh. Back in the 80's and prior, you could work at a smaller place that didn't have the capability to do background checks. Now, it's $20 or less and ANY employer can do it. You have to specifically find some place that has deliberately chosen to take the risk.

Compare to Australia, where the employer doesn't see detail. They file the background check, but only get a "yes" or "no", based on that specific job and past offenses (if any).

If you read the article, you'll notice what a joke the corporate world is. They are hiring someone sitting in prison, they did the interview through video in prison. His address is a prison, but....

"He figured Thorpe might have trouble clearing the company's background check and he says he prepared himself for that. But since it only searches back seven years and since Thorpe has been in prison for more than a decade, "He is actually our cleanest background check," Costa says."

"He doesn't have a parking ticket." What does a parking ticket, let alone a criminal conviction have to do with programming?

Let's just go ahead and get to the exploitation, the corporate scum offered him minimum wage and are taking advantage of his situation.