In Sweden the record is removed 10 years after a prison sentence has been served. However, requesting ones criminal record is not usual besides applications to work at a kinder garten or school.
My opinion is basically that once a person has served the sentence no additional "social" sentence should be given. I feel that that would just be counterproductive and keep people in crime as they are prevented from joining the community.
Though I want to know about those who were former felons in the US and leave the country and pick up citizenship else where. I'd really like to hear those stories.
Thus there are two kinds of people: the "Worthy" (good, honest, hardworking, smart), and "Those People" (lazy, dishonest, moochers, criminals).
In this narrative, Those People deserve a hard lot. Second chances? That's for Worthy people who just hit a spot of bad luck. Or people who can change, and given that Those People have deep character defects, what are the chances of that? The only thing that could possibly get them to change is harsh discipline and a hard life. Plus, why waste a decent job on one of Those People when there are so many Worthy who need a job and deserve it more?
I suspect that felons have a hard time finding a country that will take them.
That is not entirely correct. Certainly states have programs to expunge records. Here is the info for my state of New Jersey:
http://www.judiciary.state.nj.us/prose/10557_expunge_kit.pdf