The Army and Marine Corps are accepting more recruits with felony convictions.

A study released by a congressional committee showed that the Army admitted 511 recruits with felony convictions in 2007, an increase from 249 in 2006. The number of Marines with felonies increased as well — 208 to 350 over the same time period.

Congress has expressed some concerns that standards are being lowered to fulfill the combat needs of a military that is fighting wars on two fronts. The military has been gauging the results as well.

Waivers are used to admit recruits with felony convictions. Many of the crimes were committed when the service members were juveniles, the Associated Press reported.

Eighteen percent of the recruits needed conduct waivers in the last fiscal year, according to the Army, compared to 15 percent the year before that. More than half of the Army's convictions were for thefts, another 130 were for drug offenses. A few were for manslaughter, vehicular homicide or sex crime convictions.

The Pentagon's goal is to make it easier for people with minor crimes to join the military and to make waiver requirements consistent across the services.

An Army study last year showed considerable success in the waiver program, that taking a chance on an applicant with a blemished record was paying off in many cases.

We should remember that America has always been a place of second chances. There have been many stories of people turning their lives around through the discipline, organization and sacrifice involved in military service.

Obviously, the Pentagon will want to scrutinize people carefully. But giving recruits a second chance through military service is a commendable idea that has worked before.