Are Criminal Records Fair?

Brandon Robison posted an article a few days ago about some information about Steve Jobs, revealed from an FBI investigation of him in the early 1990's, and Lynsie Hammond commented on that by asking about Openness, asking how appropriate it was for Jobs' FBI file to be made public knowledge like that. Brandon remarked that there's a fine line about how much information about it's citizens a government should be able to make public. I was just thinking about that, and I agree that it is a fine line. A lot of damage can be done if the wrong information about us is given out.
   One example that comes to mind is criminal records. Once somebody is convicted of a crime, then it goes on his/her permanent record and follows them for life. I understand how important that can be, because if someone's done something bad before they might be likely to do it again, and people should be forewarned, but does that go too far sometimes? It's a lot harder for someone with a criminal record to get a job, even if the crime they committed happened a long time ago, and they did the time for it and everything. Is that fair?
   It's a commonly held belief that many people turn to crime because of lack of an honest means to get what they need. In other words, because they don't have enough honest options to make the money they need, they turn to crime. By putting a permanent mark on somebody's record that will make it very difficult to find an honest job, aren't we doing the same thing?
  I'm not arguing for or against putting marks on somebody's record for crimes that they have committed. I'm just saying that it's something that maybe we should think about. Let's say, for example, that some years ago I was arrested for possession and use of drugs, and a permanent mark was put on my record. Let's also say that I paid the price for my mistakes, and did some time in jail, and that I also realized the error of my ways, managed to completely kick my addiction to drugs, and have never touched them since. I try to lead a good life and make an honest living, but because of that mark on my record that says that I did drugs once, it's really difficult to find employers who are willing to hire me, and also to find creditors who will give me a loan, and other things as well. Because of my one past mistake, and that mark on my record, I'm considered untrustworthy, even though I haven't done anything wrong for a long time, and have been struggling hard and long to do things right.
  Because employers could be held liable if they hire an ex-offender who again breaks the law, most employers are understandably hesitant to do so. Why would they take the risk? Still, is that fair to those ex-offenders who are seriously trying to turn their lives around and do things right?
   I have to wonder how many ex-offenders return to their old law-breaking ways because they can't find an honest way to support themselves. By putting that mark on their record and telling the whole world that they broke the law, are we effectively encouraging them to go back and do it again?
  I found a website (here's the link) that talks some about how ex-offenders can try to rebuild their resumes and find a job, and it does contain some useful information, particularly about how in some cases and in some places, it's possible to take programs that will allow you to have the mark on your record erased. However, the website states again and again how difficult it is for an ex-offender to find a job. "The cards are stacked against you", it says.
   It's a difficult thing, and I don't pretend to have a solution for it. Since it's so difficult to determine if someone truly has realized the error of their ways, turned their life around, and decided to be an honest person, society can't afford to let ex-offenders keep their past misdeeds secret. It's too risky.
    When I try to think of a better way to confront this problem, I can't help but think of God's system of justice. When we've truly repented and tried to correct the misdeeds we've done, those misdeeds are essentially forgotten, and are not held against us in any way, shape, or form. Since we can't know people's thoughts like God can, we can't quite manage a system like that, but it would be cool if we could.