Currently, more than 150 cities and counties nationwide as well as 32 states have passed ban-the-box legislation, delaying questions about the criminal records of job applicants until later in the hiring process. Of those states, eleven have required the removal of criminal history questions from job applications for private employers.
On June 11, St. Louis County officials signed an executive order, effective immediately, that will “ban the box†and ensure that St. Louis County will no longer ask job applicants for criminal histories in their initial employment applications. The order provides that “employment decisions will not be based on the criminal history of a job applicant unless demonstrably job-related and consistent with business necessity, or unless state or federal law prohibits hiring an applicant with certain convictions for a particular position.â€
“It’s all about a second shot, a second chance and giving people a fair chance,†St. Louis County executive Steve Stenger said. “When you start talking about recidivism and you talk about how important jobs are to those who have had issues in our criminal justice system to stay out of our criminal justice system.â€
The signing of the policy will see St. Louis County join the city of St. Louis and the State of Missouri in reducing the emphasis of prior convictions and arrest records when applying for a job.
Other Missouri jurisdictions with ban-the-box laws include Jackson County, Columbia, and Kansas City.
“A parolee’s failure to find full-time employment becomes, quite frankly, a serious public safety issue for every county resident,†Stenger reiterated. “Without a decent job, ex-prisoners are far more likely to struggle with substance abuse. And they are far more likely to engage in criminal activity.â€
