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City Hall Rally Pushes for State “Ban The Box” Law
by Melinda Tuhus | Mar 24, 2010 7:17 am
(8) Comments | Commenting has been closed | E-mail the Author
Posted to: Legal Writes
The man on the left just got out of prison after serving 25 years on a homicide rap. The other man, also an ex-felon, offers jobs to qualified people—even if they have a record.
The two men met after a rally at City Hall on Tuesday afternoon to promote passage of a state bill modeled on New Haven’s Ban the Box ordinance, passed last year. (Click here for a previous story.)
That ordinance removed the question asking if an applicant has been convicted of a felony from city job applications, to be asked only at the point at which a job is provisionally offered. That ensures that an affirmative answer doesn’t automatically eliminate a qualified applicant from consideration. The city ordinance also applies to applications of private firms doing business with the city. (The General Assembly bill applies only to state employment.)
Antone Maroon Deek (on the right in photo above) spoke at the rally. An ex-felon himself, he has built a successful business installing alarms for homes and businesses. He told the crowd, which roared in approval, “My application does not ask if you have a felony conviction. You know why? Because everyone deserves a second chance at life.”
Joseph Savenelli of New Haven (on the left in photo above) admitted someone died at his hand, but said it was an accident. Now that he’s finally out, he said, he needs a job, a driver’s license, and other elements of a normal life.
Deek said he currently has eight employees, half of them ex-cons. Over the years he’s hired many more. He said none of those hiring decisions was a mistake.
Mayor John DeStefano (pictured with Johnny Santos) rallied the crowd briefly in support of the bill. Santos is 42 years old and has spent 19 of them in jail. He said that in jail there were many people with talent who are not getting a chance when they get out, and easily get frustrated, and end up right back in jail. “I stuck with it,” he said, referring to his job search. He predicted a statewide ban on the box would make “a huge difference” for those in his situation.
The brief rally was co-sponsored by Mothers for Justice and the New Haven Re-Entry Roundtable, which brings representatives of government and private non-profits together to discuss the best ways to help this population. Savenelli praised New Haven’s prison re-entry office, run by Amy Meek (pictured below).
She noted the number of individuals released from state custody has increased in the past year, and more are finding their way to her office—five to seven per week. She offers them help getting jobs, job training, identification, benefits like SAGA (state-administered general assistance), education programs and mental health and addiction services.
(Allan Appel contributed reporting.)
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Comments
posted by: Tim on March 24, 2010 9:44am
With all that is going on in the economy, local and state wide, why does the mayor have time helping ex-cons get a job?
posted by: David on March 24, 2010 10:44am
Tim,
Because ex-cons who can’t find jobs and re-join society are the largest contributors of continued crime and violence in the city. The recidivism rates of ex offenders are high, taxing our prison and justice systems and requiring us, the public, to pay more to continue to incarcerate people.
In sum, the Mayor has time to do this because it is a critical public safety issue and a budget reduction measure.
David
posted by: Margaret on March 24, 2010 12:27pm
I’m confused about how the mayor supports the ban the box bill, and at the same time promotes a legislative agenda that would require former offenders with gun charges to register with the city. Does this seem contradictory to anyone else?
posted by: what will they think of next on March 24, 2010 2:40pm
Teaching convicted felons the inner workings of alarm systems. BRILLIANT!
posted by: IN THE TRENCHES on March 24, 2010 4:22pm
To What will they…: Why not? You obviously think that all felons are thieves but you couldn’t be more wrong. Some people choose to do things like sell drugs because they feel that stealing is for cowards. Some people would rather steal than hurt help someone harm their bodies. Both have a twisted logic, but an understandable one when you consider the unemployment rate. The answer is jobs. Most people commit crimes out of necessity(irrational or not). Do you know how many corners you could clear with an abundance of jobs? Do you know how many guys would rather work than stick a gun in someone’s face? They’d do different if they had and oppurtunity to do so. And how can they when people like yourself never let them live down a past mistake? Part of the reason they made them in the first place is the same reason they’re beating down doors now-they need jobs. As long as we keep them locked out, they will find their own ways to get inside. And the next random person they lay in wait to rob my be you. The next random house they decide to burglarize may be yours. You wanna lower crime? Raise jobs, it’s that simple. No way around it.
posted by: tim6298@yahoo.com on March 24, 2010 6:26pm
In the Trenches -
If you say jobs are the reason for the crime rate, then shouldnt the mayor be more worried about bringing new jobs to NH, to stop the next generation of criminals? No matter the unemployment rate, people will still be criminals if they want to.
In a perfect economic climate I wouldnt care so much about the mayor and the rah-rah behind this. Its, that shouldnt the mayor be more worried about helping people that never got sent to jail in the first place? Before he worries about a felon?
posted by: Lee A. Parker on March 24, 2010 9:54pm
” “Ban The Box” doesn’t eliminate “The Box;” it merely postpones the fearsome question until AFTER A CONDITIONAL OFFER OF EMPLOYMENT is made. Background checks will still be made, and the “question” can still be asked. Employers and co-workers will still have the protections afforded them now. ”
posted by: bee fair on March 27, 2010 2:45pm
Felony conviction is merely an excuse not to hire and we all know which population will be heavily represented. Is it because people of color are more criminal? No, selective enforcement, selective prosecution, an unjust system of “law” and high paying attorneys tip the scales of justice. Anyone recall a politician who “raped” the state of Connecticut of millions of dollars, prosceuted for a minor crime and served a few months yet upon release was rehired into another government position? I don’t recall the public outcry on that felon getting another high paying position in government. Why is that? The felony conviction keeps “Jim Crow laws” on life support. Let’s call it what it is . Same practice, different mask.
