Are there legal ramifications for an employer who won't let someone apply?

I don't believe they are required to furnish applications and storage of records until, or unless they have set up an interview. This may vary from state to state.

but to not let someone apply?

Define please what you mean by "storage of records"

Well, if you apply, won't the application be stored? No? Well then, you make application and it goes straight into the trash. Feel better? To put it another way, I don't for a minute believe a private employer has any obligation to anyone who comes in looking for work.

Hey, we aren't going to argue. Like a prospective employer, I don't feel any sense of obligation to you.

It's a hard lesson to learn, that even after you pay for the crime by spending time in prison, future job prospects seems to disappear.
You claim to be intelligent, but why were you charged with a crime?
It also depends on what your crime was.
I think a good place for you to start is the state employment office. A second option is to go to an employment agency, but be prepared to pay a fee.
You should qualify for a job that has nothing to do with the crime you were charged with.
Try a social service agency. Good luck.
An employer cannot ask for any information not directly related to the job you are applying for. That's the law in California.

https://www.mtu.edu/equity/pdfs/whatyoucanandcantasklongversion8-12-04.pdf

Yeah your right you make a lot of good points there. They don't even know what the crime is I was charged with because every time I'm not even given the opportunity to apply so I never even got that far which sucks... I did the employment agency since even before graduating high school for 5 years nothing not even a interview and did it again after I got out for a year after getting out and that didn't work out too well. People of all walks of life make mistakes and what I went inside for wasn't something I'm proud of I had a few felony assault and battery with a dangerous. I appreciate your advice. and yeah employers aren't allowed to ask anything other than employment related directly under most state laws never even got to that point though which really just sucks.

Very True.

I'm just getting Ali-G from this post.
So will any prospective employers.