As I have continued in my research for the IYLP, I am reminded of the "Ban the Box" movement, largely based off of the research of a professor at the University of Michigan Law School. The goals of this movement is to remove the "box" on many job applications that ask about prior convictions. Having to specify this has been known to make it far more difficult for the formerly convicted and incarcerated to find work and assimilate.
In discussing this issue with my peers, many mentioned that they thought there was a need for a distinction for those who committed more violent crimes. I can see where these individuals are coming from with wanting there to be some sort of distinction for those who committed more serious crimes. I agree in some ways, but I also think these are the former convicts most in need of help rehabilitating. That being said, I think if the person has been released, they already have to have passed reviews that would categorize them as no longer a threat to the public, so I am not sure a distinction is warranted.
In addition to that, another group of my peers brought up that when the "box is banned", then employers will have more of an incentive to discriminate based on race. While this idea is in some ways convincing, it does little to compel me to believe that the Ban the Box movement is unsuccessful in combating the issue of low former felon employment. I think that the progress sited by the article I initially linked, partnered with works of groups such as the Vera Institute of Justice help to show how these policies do, in fact, function as intended. As for organizations who are racial biased (to mean racist) in their hiring methods, it is not surprising to me that this movement would not be enough in those specific situations.
That being said, while the Ban the Box movement is a step in the right direction, there are still many states in the US that continue to require the box on job applications, at least government jobs. I think this movement does a lot of good, but must continue to work until all states have banned the box.
