Changing the ‘Box’ Bias

Perhaps one of the most compelling reasons to keep your criminal record clean is to maintain your ability to seek gainful employment. One checked box on your employment application hinting toward your checkered background can ultimately bar you from the corporate world altogether.

How prevalent is this issue? It’s more widespread than most of us might even realize; 65 to 70 million US adults, with nearly 4 of every 10 individuals bogged down by their arrest records. Millions of these individuals struggle to recondition themselves because employers ultimately make a different hire, provided they even make it in to be interviewed.

“Ban the Box” is the official slogan being utilized by a special interest group attempting to counter background checking practices. The movement is actually gaining some traction — it’s spread to several cities and states around the US, banning the ‘box’ from government job applications and even mandating some private employers follow the same practice under certain jurisdictions.

It might seem unjust that private employers should be forced into a position of considering candidates with an arrest history, yet we must remember that the employment process should remain non-discriminating under most circumstances. It’s impossible to deny the stigma associated with an arrest record, regardless of the person’s actual character.

An arrest record is an easy way to raise red flags and have an employer gloss over you altogether. Would checking a box to designate your sexual orientation or your religion influence hiring managers? You could certainly argue these details of a person’s life have about as much relevancy to one’s ability to perform work as a DUI that occurred several years ago.

Perhaps it’s time we call a spade a spade — some arrest records are merely an invitation to pass unfair bias. Reformatting how hiring managers make these decisions can ultimately help worthy employees find work and help others recondition their lives. It seems the benefits outweigh the risks.