Federal jobs for felons: Why 'ban the box' could soon be a thing of the past
The Obama administration is moving to "ban the box" on federal job applications that asks about criminal history.
President Barack Obama shakes hands with Los Angeles Police Department Chief Charlie Beck during a forum on criminal justice reform, Thursday, Oct. 22, 2015, in the Old Executive Office Building on the White House complex in Washington. At right is John Walsh, U.S. Attorney, District of Colorado.
Pablo Martinez Monsivais/AP/File
As a small part of a larger effort to reform the justice system, the Obama administration is pushing to remove questions about criminal history from federal job applications.
Also known as "ban the box," the rule would prohibit federal government from asking question about criminal history until later in the employment process, when there has been 鈥渁 conditional offer of employment.鈥�
The 鈥渂an the box鈥� idea has been gaining momentum in the recent months, fueled by the concerns of criminal justice reformers who have long held that 鈥渢he box鈥� systematically discriminates against felons, denying them opportunities that would help them integrate back into the society. A February 2015 poll by The New York Times/CBS/Kaiser Family Foundation found the . And the most affected are African American and Latino men, the poll found.
鈥淭here are people who have gone through tough times, they鈥檝e made mistakes, but with a little bit of help, they can get on the right path,鈥� President Obama said last November, in announcing his executive action to ban the box. 鈥淎nd that鈥檚 what we have to invest in. That鈥檚 what we have to believe. That鈥檚 what we have to promote.鈥�
The new rule was published online Friday, and the public will have 60 days to submit comments before a final rule is issued.
If enacted, the rule would likely impact about 100,000聽, said Beth Cobert, the acting director of the Office of Personnel Management said, The New York Times reported.
There are exceptions however; the rule would not apply to .
Criminal justice reformers have long advocated for changes that would see more ex-offenders granted opportunities that will allow them to re-enter their communities after paying for their crimes. . And because criminal records are now easily available online, 9 in 10 employers are likely to conduct criminal background checks. Two studies conducted by Devah Pager examined employment audits of in Milwaukee and New York City, both .
鈥�,鈥� said Rebecca Vallas, director of policy at the liberal advocacy group Center for American Progress, Fusion reported.
"If they're restricted from job opportunities and housing, it makes it more likely they're going to return to criminal activity just to provide sustenance for themselves and their families," Jeremy Haile, the federal advocacy counsel for the Sentencing Project, told the 海角大神 Science Monitor鈥檚 Henry Gass.
Efforts to reform the justice system have been receiving widespread bipartisan support. Since 鈥渂an the box鈥� movement started, 19 states including Georgia, New York, Oregon, Vermont, Virginia, and Ohio, as well as up to 100 cities . Some companies, including Wal-Mart and Target, have banned the box. 聽
The justice reform effort has been moving ahead in other areas too. On Monday, the Obama administration . Lack of an ID is often a hindrance to ex-offenders in applying for jobs and opening bank accounts. The federal government as well as other states have been taking steps , in an attempt to reduce the high number of people who are incarcerated.聽