> "I feel like "trying to turn their life around" is code for doing the bare minimum to live in a civilized society. (Get a legal job, pay your taxes, take care of your kids, and don't break the law)"

For some people, that's a massive change compared to what they've experienced in the past. Those things may all seem easy to us, but imagine if you had the opposite habits and how difficult it could be to take the unfamiliar path towards civilised society.

Out of interest, do you feel the same about drug addicts and alcoholics who make an effort to break their addictions? Are they deserving of respect in your eyes?

While you're right that certain things may be quite difficult, just getting to zero or baseline is not enough for me to respect someone when I view their poor circumstance or difficulties as the direct consequence of their poor (and illegal) choices. I get to decide the way I feel about people, and breaking an addiction doesn't meet my bar. Similarly, I don't tell others how they should feel.

> " I get to decide the way I feel about people, and breaking an addiction doesn't meet my bar."

So what does meet your bar? What actions could a former criminal take to earn your respect?

> "Similarly, I don't tell others how they should feel."

Note that I've only asked you questions, I did not tell you how to feel.