The Augusta/Staunton/Waynesboro Chapter of Virginia Organizing will ask the Staunton City Council to remove the question about a person’s criminal history from city job applications (“ban the box”) at tonight’s City Council meeting.
The Chapter wants to postpone relevant criminal history questions to a later point in the hiring process when applicants have a chance to explain their history face-to-face with an interviewer.
Sudana Wilmott of Staunton, who was formerly incarcerated, said, “I believe all returning citizens deserve a second chance. It’s hard to get a job with that question.”
Wilmott believes that the criminal history question is not a good measure of an applicant. “I feel like a person should be able to explain themselves in person, not just over two lines on a piece of paper, because people change and can be rehabilitated,” she said. “Having a job is important to support yourself and your family and to remain free from incarceration.”
Many localities across Virginia have banned the box to support the efforts of returning citizens to contribute to society and their families.
Virginia Organizing supports a statewide ban of the criminal history question on public job applications.
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Chris Graham
