"Well hey, they did their time and paid their debt to society right? Should they continue being unemployable for life, forced to return to a life of crime? Give those guys a second chance to earn an honest living and show the world they aren't defined by their past."

While this is true, it may be a good idea to employ them in jobs where it isn't tempting/super easy to get away with theft?

Roofers, plumbers, and the like have a lot harder time stealing things than airplane baggage handlers...