We are friends with several people who have committed a crime or served time.

DH grew up in a rough urban neighborhood. Because he had some promise, his older brother had been killed and his dad was well respected in that neighborhood (was a basketball coach and ran the local Y)), the "criminals" looked after DH. Protected him and forbade him from doing the stuff that they were doing. Gave him money and gifts for good grades. They realized that he could make it out and they did their best to make sure. And he has never turned his back on them now that he has "made it." He helped one guy get clean. He has helped them get jobs and has helped some of their kids get to college.

Nowadays, these same guys (most no longer involved in the criminal stuff) will take care of anything that my in-laws need.

It sounds like a white collar crime to me.

But crime is crime no matter what color.

This is a tough call OP.

I am very open-minded and not a judgmental person in nature.

I wouldn't stop socializing or speaking with said person, but I also wouldn't stick my neck out financially or legally either.

That would be like enabling them.

I wouldn't support them in their belief that their crime wasn't so bad or that they were simply a victim of circumstance.

I would let justice prevail and stay out of it.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Everyone is friends with criminals. You just may not know it.

Bingo.

Beyond that, context is everything ... what? When? Why?

Etc.

Anyone who is so sanctimonious that they think they could never be friends with a "criminal" is unworthy of my friendship.

I'm not sanctimonious, but I am protective of my family's well-being, and if someone is involved in drugs or other criminal activities, they are not to be trusted. Period. But as PP said, context is everything, and if someone is truly rehabilitated and has done the work to better themselves, than that's a different story. I would be cautious, however, until I sm certain they can be trusted.

Yes, like George Bush was involved in drugs.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Everyone is friends with criminals. You just may not know it.

Bingo.

Beyond that, context is everything ... what? When? Why?

Etc.

Anyone who is so sanctimonious that they think they could never be friends with a "criminal" is unworthy of my friendship.

I'm not sanctimonious, but I am protective of my family's well-being, and if someone is involved in drugs or other criminal activities, they are not to be trusted. Period. But as PP said, context is everything, and if someone is truly rehabilitated and has done the work to better themselves, than that's a different story. I would be cautious, however, until I sm certain they can be trusted.