Entering the Bahamas with a criminal record

[Group9]

Originally Posted by john61ct

At a given time.

The United States represents about 4.4 percent of the world's population, but it houses around 22 percent of the world's prisoners.


nearly half of U.S. adults have had an immediate family member incarcerated
https://www.cbsnews.com/amp/news/rep...-incarcerated/

Chart https://static.prisonpolicy.org/images/pie2016.jpg

Well, with the new US prison reform law, we are about to start dumping them out on the streets. We can meet up here again a couple of years from now and see how that worked out.

[bgallinger]

Originally Posted by skipmac

I know a couple of guys that were convicted for pot possession that have been to the Bahamas several times with no problem or question at all. One went to work for a large corporation and travels extensively on business and had no problems in the countries he visited in Europe and Latin America.

Convictions for other things might be treated differently. I don't recall the office where I last cleared in the Bahamas having computer access at all so may not matter there regardless. I think they are mainly interested in collecting your cruising fees.

I have heard of problems visiting Canada and Australia if you have a criminal record for any felony including DUI.

My understanding is that Canada views a DUI as a felony. Don't even bother trying to get into Canada if you have a DUI on your record.

[Pete17C]

Originally Posted by taxwizz

Yes. Both the USA and Canada ban you FOR LIFE if you have ever had a DUI conviction.

Imagine getting a drunk driving conviction at age 21 and still being banned from the USA 50 years later. YIKES !

I guess that the assume that no one ever changes and that prison does not cause any reformation. "Once bad....always bad" eh? Never forgive !

This is not 100% the case, ask me how I know...

I have 2 DWIs along w/ MJ convictions from my misspent youth (in the early/mid 80s). I have been to Canada numerous times since, and never had any problems crossing in or out.

I know some people have had trouble w DWI / MJ convictions. There must be some other factors in the decision, but I don't know what those deciding factors are.

[Pete17C]

Originally Posted by Group9

Well, with the new US prison reform law, we are about to start dumping them out on the streets. We can meet up here again a couple of years from now and see how that worked out.

You do understand that zero-tolerance sentencing policies have put an awful lot of non-violent offenders in prison for way to long considering the crime(s) they committed. A lot of white collar crimes are substantially higher in personal harm/money stolen/damage caused, but being from a particular neighborhood has a lot more to do with whether or not you get a conviction/prison sentence.

[skipmac]

Originally Posted by Group9

Well, with the new US prison reform law, we are about to start dumping them out on the streets. We can meet up here again a couple of years from now and see how that worked out.

Well consider this when you make that kind of comment. With very, very few exceptions IE those with real life sentences, all of these prisoners are going to be released sooner or later, just a matter of when.

I watched a documentary a few years back that focused on prisoners, training and rehabilitation programs and the rate of recividism. That point was raised by a prisoner who was trying to sign up for education and rehabilitation programs but there was no money in the budget for it. Basically with no job skills and no education odds of falling back into crime are much higher. The bottom line, it costs the taxpayer a lot more money to catch, convict and incarcerate someone than it does to train them to get a job.

[GordMay]

Originally Posted by Elie

USA has about 1% of its population incarcerated, so probably 4% or more of the living american citizens are what they call felons...

Research led by a University of Georgia sociologist on the growth in the scope and scale of felony convictions finds that, as of 2010, 3 percent of the total U.S. population and 15 percent of the African-American male population have served time in prison.
People with felony convictions more broadly account for 8 percent of the overall population and 33 percent of the African-American male population.
The study estimates that as of 2010 there were 19 million people in the U.S. that have a felony record, including those who have been to prison, jail or on felony probation.
The study, “The Growth, Scope, and Spatial Distribution of People With Felony Records in the United States, 1948-2010,” is available at:
➥ https://link.springer.com/article/10...524-017-0611-1

However:

Evidently, the FBI considers anyone who has been arrested on a felony charge to have a criminal record, even if the arrest did not lead to a conviction.
So by the FBI’s standard, 73.5 million people in the United States had a criminal record as of June 30, 2017.
Since the Census Bureau lists the adult population in the United States at 249.4 million. That means the FBI considers about 29.5 percent of US adults to have a criminal record.

[Maka]

Once upon a time you had to have a criminal record to get into Australia.
In fact with that criminal record you were even given FREE transportation to get there.

[GRIT]

[QUOTE=Scotty Kiwi;2785285]Speaking generally (not specific to US Bahamas), and having researched this as a general travel issue, the question/answers could be broken down into 5 parts:

1. does the country of entry ask the question?
- most do, some don't eg Vanuatu (I think).

End Quote.

We`ve cruised in over 30 countries, around the Atlantic, and have never been asked the question about a criminal record, or conviction. We don`t have any, but have never been asked.

Again, if you look like a criminal, you`ll get the extra questions, but as a rule, if you look respectable, and act respectful, you`ll just get a cursory glance.

Though you might be unlucky enough to be the random person they want to query, or if they`ve had a bad day... you could be in for a bit of a rough time.
Hedge your bets, and be respectful.

Cheers all.
Paul.

[Group9]

Originally Posted by skipmac

Well consider this when you make that kind of comment. With very, very few exceptions IE those with real life sentences, all of these prisoners are going to be released sooner or later, just a matter of when.

I watched a documentary a few years back that focused on prisoners, training and rehabilitation programs and the rate of recividism. That point was raised by a prisoner who was trying to sign up for education and rehabilitation programs but there was no money in the budget for it. Basically with no job skills and no education odds of falling back into crime are much higher. The bottom line, it costs the taxpayer a lot more money to catch, convict and incarcerate someone than it does to train them to get a job.

With all due respect, I didn't form my opinions on crime and criminals from watching documentaries. I formed it from interacting and dealing with criminals as my job for twenty eight years.

Yes, when they are in prison, they all want to go to college, be rehabilitated, become Christians, and save puppies. It's what they want when they get out that usually causes problems. And, not many of them want a 9-5, forty hour a week job, until they retire.

It's a completely different culture, and I promise you, they do not see the world like you and I do. The vast majority are sociopaths. Why that is so can be argued ad infinitum, I suppose. But, the why doesn't change the what.

And, I apologize for the thread drift. I tried to answer the OP question to the best of my ability, based on my work in the Bahamas with the Bahamian law enforcement authorities and my travels there.

[skipmac]

Originally Posted by Group9

With all due respect, I didn't form my opinions on crime and criminals from watching documentaries. I formed it from interacting and dealing with criminals as my job for twenty eight years.

Did not make a career out of it but over the years my work brought me into close contact with people that had been in the system. Also in my wife's job as a social worker and counselor for the state of FL a great many of her clients or their spouses were former or future inmates.

Originally Posted by Group9

Yes, when they are in prison, they all want to go to college, be rehabilitated, become Christians, and save puppies. It's what they want when they get out that usually causes problems. And, not many of them want a 9-5, forty hour a week job, until they retire.

It's a completely different culture, and I promise you, they do not see the world like you and I do. The vast majority are sociopaths. Why that is so can be argued ad infinitum, I suppose. But, the why doesn't change the what.

I completely agree with most of what you say, if not to the same degree. Read my post carefully and you will not see any claims that all the inmates are going to be released and become perfect citizens. My only point is as I said, 99% of all inmates will finish their sentences at some time and be released back into society. It is just a matter of when. Early release just puts them out there a little sooner and just locking them up for another year or two will not change who they are and what they may or may not do when they get back on the street.

From your comments I think you realize this and the fact that just locking them up is not solving the problem.

And by the way, I did not "form an opinion" watching a documentary. I was just made aware of a very relevant bit of information.

[john61ct]

The more people are put in jails, the way they are designed in the US, and the longer they are there, the worse their impact is on society.

Of course the fundamental underlying conditions

same as for mental illness, substance abuse, violence, suicide etc etc

really need to be addressed, but fat chance of that, the way our political / economics are set up.