A criminal record is a good predictor of future behavior. That's what an executive at a background check company said in the Aug. 7 article, "More felons records erased." But it isn't true. New research from the University of Maryland and University of South Carolina shows that a person who has been crime-free for seven years has essentially the same risk of committing a crime as a person who has never committed a crime.

Even though people with old records aren't a threat, we treat them as second-class citizens. Two-thirds of employers will not hire someone with a record, and many jobs -- such as jobs in transportation, schools, health care, daycare, aviation and private security -- are off limits, even if the record is minor or ancient. So it is no surprise that more people are trying to expunge their records.

[continues 147 words]