Ban The Box

The Tennessee Senate recently passed Senate Bill 2440 with a 25 to 7 vote. The bill, colloquially known as “ban-the box,” requires state employers to delay inquiring about criminal records while considering candidates for employment. Certain jobs do not qualify for this deferment, such as those requiring a criminal background check under federal law or jobs in education. Additionally, this bill is not an attempt to force employers to hire a convicted criminal, but rather necessitates a more holistic and thorough consideration of applicants, regardless of their criminal

This spurs questions in regards the effectiveness of the process in reacclimating and preparing criminals to become functioning members of society after their sentence, as well as the intense limitations that having a felony on record has on their success in the regular business world, as the competitive marketplace considers reforming felons generally undesirable for the workplace, pushing reforming criminals towards the world of illegal activities they know

One of the main barriers that inmates face when they are released from prison is limited cognitive skills, limited education and work experience, and substance abuse or other mental health problems. Substance abuse and other mental health problems limit employability because it limits the job readiness that is required for employment (Holzer, Raphael & Stoll, 2003). Another issue that is faced when inmates are released into society is that any skills that they did have prior to conviction has diminished greatly and they face lower pay due to their diminished or lack of skills, and the attitudes that have been developed during their time in prison deeply affects their attitude during their search for employment. Offenders also face another barrier when searching for employment. Many businesses can be held legally liable for any criminal action that their employees may cause (Holzer, Raphael & Stoll, 2003). These barriers that offenders face upon release is why solid solutions and planning must be implemented when considering the integration of ex-felons into society and preparation for reentry must begin well before the scheduled release date in order to successfully reintegrate an inmate into society and reduce the rate of recidivism.

Besides, assisting the ex-offenders in becoming competitive is equally important to make them productive to their employers if given equal opportunities. The program in Kentucky aims at making the employer understand their situation while getting back to the society. Thus, it assists them psychologically and through other means to prepare to face new challenges. Besides, some of the counties and cities that note the devastating effect of not employing the ex-convicts remove the criminal records from a job application. The reform commonly has the name ‘ban the box’ that aim at reducing discrimination of qualified ex-convicts while applying for jobs (Entin, 2015). The use of ban the box is beneficial especially in the early stages of the hiring process when employers do not know their potential employees

Criminality rates based on different societies varies between incarceration and sentencing for reasoning of the crime committed. Prison serves incapacitate criminals from committing other crimes as removal from society, and it is useful as an effective approach to crime reduction (Drago, Galbiati, Pietro, 2009). The consequences of a criminal record is much more severe than one might perceive, and it doesn’t discriminate to either gender. The real consideration is the life after imprisonment, and the issues and challenges the individual is faced with. Associated with each economic analysis approach is the discussion on the consequence of a criminal record. Former inmates are faced with barriers that put limitations to their social status when attempting to re-integrate back into society. With recognition and traction of the criminal justice system, criminal background taints the individual for the rest of their life and shouldn’t be a matter of underestimation. The courts keep records of legal proceedings containing the history of the arrests and trials of the criminals, and these records will remain; if they can’t be removed. This paper will emphasize on the certain barriers an individual may face after they are labeled as ex-convicts.

This poses dilemmas as for employment breaks. Another disadvantage that comes to play is the initiative filling out the form of employment (The application). On that application for employment; reads a box that states criminal history, arrests previous to applying, also asks

While the intention of “Ban the Box” is to give ex-offenders a fair chance at attaining employment; it has instead created an unreasonable burden on employers by imposing higher recruitment costs, opening the employer up to more negligent hiring lawsuits, and jeopardizing the safety of their employees. The passing of this legislation is an unnecessary inconvenience on employers and punishes them for protecting its employees and profits. This hassle is particularly seen in the recruitment process.

(2017) Although some employers implement affirmative action practices, the unconscious bias and prejudice remains. This, along with the lack of oversight in the hiring process, leads to discrimination against African Americans. However, while this kind of discrimination is illegal, Alexander discusses a different kind of discrimination, one which is legal and affects millions of black men. When a criminal is released from prison, “he has scarcely more rights, and arguably less respect, than a freed slave or a black person living ‘free’ in Mississippi at the height of Jim Crow.” (Alexander 2012) The federal law that protects people from discrimination does not apply to ex-convicted felons. When filling out a form or application, we often come across the question asking about our criminal record. Though it is illegal to discriminate based on race, color, gender, religion, age, disability or national origin, it is not illegal to discriminate against criminals. Because of this, ex-convicts can be denied employment, housing, education, and public benefits. Given that many of these ex-convicts come from low-income

The benefits of having Ban the Box laws would reduce recidivism. Employment is a vital factor for people reentering society from prison because people with criminal records that have a stable working environment are less likely to reoffend (Weissert, 2016, p. 1534). Ban the Box laws differ for when the employer can find out about the applicants criminal history, but by not having to admit to a criminal history on the intimal application it allows employers to rely on unfounded stereotypes of people with criminal records than forming their own opinion of the applicants character (Weissert, 2016, p. 1536). By the employer not being able to find out later in the

Phillip it is clear that you have a complete explanation of the back ground requirement that so many employers utilize to classify potential employees. Yet with this classification many very capable candidates are quickly eliminated for either old run in’s with the law or youthful ignorance. To this end, we as a society have alienated the youth who have fallen into the trap of conviction of a crime. Clearly it is not necessary to penalize people who have repaid their debt to society for their life making them unfit for hire. The question is what is the answer to solve this injustice that is imposed on these candidates? In my view companies could have what they call a conditional hire that would go longer for a year than a traditional 90 day

I believe the “ban the box” should be banned because there are a lot of convicted felons that can not get a break in society. They have served their time and should be allowed to accomplish goals and make a better life for him or her selves. The “ban the box” is aimed at persuading employers to remove their hiring applications that have applicants check box that ask if applicants have a criminal record or not. I have seen a lot of educated criminal of all ethnicities try to pull their life together, but they could not get decent jobs in the society. By checking the box, society prohibits former criminal applicants for jobs, loans, housing, benefits, and many other services that they need. Many people in companies think that they are a target

After conducting my own research on Ban the Box movement to prohibit employers from requiring disclosure of past criminal convictions on employment. I noticed that the Ban the Box movement was put together by civil rights groups, and other advocates for ex-offenders. The movement is also an international campaign that is aimed at convincing employers abroad to remove the criminal history box (box that asks if an applicant has been arrested) from the applications. I truly understand the purpose of this movement, which is to enable ex-offenders a better chance at landing a job while on parole or after they are released from jail. For instance, if an ex-offender has a tough time finding a job after incarceration, then he/she will have a higher

The pursuit of economic and employment equality should be the right of all; however, it is unfortunate that those with criminal histories are often deprived of this. The question of disclosure or banning the box is a dual edged sword by which many convicted individuals continue to suffer from. As discussed by Kevin Hyde in the video Ban The Box, many of the jobs that exclude persons with criminal backgrounds have little or nothing to do with the job being performed and that a key to reduction in crime is the employment of those individuals who are qualified to perform the tasks (Ban The Box -TedxJacksonville, 2015). Banning the box in theory from the community corrections side offers several promising benefits. The reduction of taxpayer funding because the offender is working and no longer a cost to the state or community, the reduction in recidivism due to employment, thus the decline in crimes committed as a means of support, and obviously gainful or marginal employment which raises the economic status of

Employers need to think before judging a qualified candidate for a position based solely on their past mistakes and felonies- but unfortunately many employers do. This also causes added negativity and stress not only on the ex-convict, but on the community as well. Negativity, not only affects the person it is directed at, but it affects people that the felon is around. This kind of treatment will develop the idea that anyone who makes a mistake will not be able to obtain employment. “The effect on the community also would become relevant, as we focus on the role that the person has played in the family, in the neighborhood, and at work” (Bill Ong Hing 2). Employers need to take into account that the applicant may have been rehabilitated and made up for their past mistakes both physically and emotionally. “By reinstating discretion to give such individuals a second chance, the positive benefits that such individuals bring to the community would be as salient” (Hing 2). As Hing states, it is imperative for the felon and his/her community if employers would genuinely give second chances and also the positivity created by this would illuminate the area. Numerous people believe that employers who discriminate against felons must not be supported. Andrus believes “Corporations who do not hire ex-felons based on their criminal records only,

Everyone deserves a second chance. You should never judge a book by its cover. These are some of the things that should be considered when an employer considers hiring an ex-offender reentering society after release from the prison system. Once a criminal, always a criminal is not always the case. Some ex-offenders have proven to be loyal and trustworthy employees. As well as tax-paying individual who open their own businesses. There are positives and negatives to hiring someone with a criminal background. There are many concerns by employers to hire an ex-offender, such as negligent hiring. An ex offender is a person who has been convicted of criminal offense. Over 600,000 people are being released from prisons