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November 3, 2015

Obama "Bans the Box" for Former Prisoners on Federal Job Applications 
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President Obama has announced a series of steps to help released
prisoners readjust to society. Speaking during a visit to a treatment
center in Newark, New Jersey, Obama said he was "banning the
box"—barring federal agencies from asking potential employees about
their criminal records on job applications.

President Obama: "The federal government, I believe, should not use
criminal history to screen out applicants before we even look at their
qualifications. We can't dismiss people out of hand simply because of a
mistake that they made in the past."

Over the past few days, the Obama administration has released more than
6,000 federal prisoners early, marking the largest one-time release from
federal prison in history.

 

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