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Obama: Let people with criminal records 'make their case' in federal jobs
President Obama on Monday defended his new plan to help get people out of prison and into a job, and said his administration would do its part by delaying its efforts to determine whether people have a criminal record when they apply for work at the federal government.
"I'm taking action to 'ban the box' for the most competitive jobs at federal agencies," Obama said in a speech in Newark, N.J., referring to his decision to delay questions about people's criminal records when they seek a job in the public sector.
"Give them a chance to get in there so they can make their case," he said of the executive action.
Obama was joined by Democratic New Jersey Sen. Cory Booker, Newark Mayor Ras Baraka and U.S. Attorney for New Jersey Paul Fishman, and spoke specifically on the obstacles former incarcerated individuals face when attempting to return to society.
"How do we break the cycle that has young children somehow on that pipeline where they end up incarcerated?" Obama asked.
"We incarcerate people at a rate that is unequaled around the world," Obama said, adding that they are disproportionally black and Latino.
According to Obama, nearly one in five Americans has a criminal record, which doesn't just affect the economy when it comes to employment, but also their communities.
"My administration is announcing new grants to help returning citizens seize that second chance," Obama said.
Some of the initiatives include an $8.7 million grant from the Justice Department, Department of Housing and Urban Development for programs designed to reduce homelessness among released prisoners and an $8 million grant from the Education Department to help formerly incarcerated get involved with education in efforts to more easily return to society.
The president also urged Congress to pass the bipartisan Sentencing Reform and Corrections Act, which passed through the Senate Judiciary Committee earlier this month. The bill hopes to curb mass incarceration by easing mandatory minimum sentences.
"There are so many Americans desperate to earn a second chance," Obama said.
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