Think Outside the Box News

Some "Smart on Crime" Reforms that are Working
Necessitated by harsh economic times and encouraged by declines in crime rates, a number of states have made significant strides in reducing the number of people in prisons and jails and cutting spending while maintaining public safety.
65 Million Need Not Apply
A recent report by the National Employment Law Project found that 65 million Americans with criminal records face unprecedented barriers to employment.
Editorial: Hiring and Fairness
Cities across the United States are learning that protecting the employment rights of formerly incarcerated people makes our communities stronger (New York Times).
Felony? No question...
We won our Think Outside the Box campaign last fall, and starting July 1, the City of Eugene is officially taking the question "Have you ever been convicted of a felony?" off of its initial job applications. Check out KMTR's story featuring PSJ member Patricia Coldeen!
Eugene evaluating job form
PSJ's Think Outside the Box campaign victory in Eugene will remove a major barrier to re-entry for those applying for city jobs. (Register-Guard)
Study could ease worry over hiring ex-offenders
A study funded by the Justice Department concludes that over time accused robbers, burglars and batterers pose no greater risk to employers than job candidates in the general population.
Minnesota Becomes First State to “Ban the Box”
On May 11th Minnesota Governor Tim Pawlenty signed into law a public safety policy omnibus bill (House File 1301) which includes two provisions that begin to address the growing problem of individuals with criminal records finding employment.
Communities across the Country Think Outside the Box
Many cities and counties across the country are changing the way they do business. They’re thinking outside the box – the felony conviction box – and changing their hiring policies to increase access to jobs for people with felony convictions.