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Posted on Sun, May 30, 2010 : 8:06 a.m.

'Ban the box' editorial was misguided

By Letters to the Editor

An editorial titled, "'Ban the box' too simplistic a solution for a complex problem," which ran in AnnArbor.com on April 18, missed important points in concluding not to support the Ban the Box proposal, which would delay background checks on county job applicants until after they are interviewed.

The editorial said we should instead work to educate employers about the importance of hiring citizens returning from prison. However, is there a better way to educate employers about returning citizens than to encourage them to interview applicants without prejudice? The proposal would give returning citizens an opportunity for an interview, now usually flatly denied.

Criminal background checks produce false criminal records 5% of the time. When these errors cause a job applicant, ex-offfender or not, to be denied a job, this is unconscionable. The proposal would require employers to inform applicants about the check and allow them to correct errors.

The editorial claimed 60% to 75% of people released from prison soon return. Were this true, it might be hard for an employer to invest in returning citizens. This number applied several years ago, before the Michigan Prisoner Re-entry Initiative (MPRI) began working intensively with returning citizens. MPRI programs have reduced this recidivism rate 32%. Also, common sense says that the recidivism rate among employed people will be reduced significantly more.

Finally, the editorial argued that we should support MPRI. It failed to point out, however, that the County MPRI staff is urging the adoption of the ban-the-box proposal, based on arguments like those above and their belief that it is not just "making a point", but that it will make a real difference in the employability of their clients. It is almost tautological that if we should support MPRI, we should also support "Ban the Box".

John Gourlay, Kathie Gourlay, Jasmine Stock For the Michigan Prisoner Re-entry Initiative Advocacy Committee