Fair Chance Act - United States House Committee on Oversight … · 2017-12-13 · Glenn E. Martin:...

GlennE.Martin:TestimonyonPoliciesRelatingtoBureauofPrisonsReentry,FairChanceAct,andBantheBox

DeliveredtotheCommitteeonGovernmentandOversightReform:Wednesday,December13,2017

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ToChairmanGowdy,RankingMemberCummings,andtheCommittee:

TodayIrespectfullysubmittestimonyregardingthesignificantbarrierstoreentryfacedbymillions

offormerlyincarceratedindividuals;theneedtoeliminatethesecounterproductivebarriers;the

policiesyoucanimplementtoachievethatgoal,includingpassageofH.R.1905–theFairChanceAct;

andhowmypersonalexperienceasaformerlyincarceratedAmericanandtheexperienceofother

formerlyincarceratedmenandwomencaninformyouractions.TherearefourkeypointsIhopeto

conveyinmytestimony:

1. Reducingrecidivismrequiressuccessfulreentry.

Intheir2016report,theFederalInteragencyReentryCouncilremindedusthatholistic

reentry,whichincludesaccesstostablehousing,education,andemployment,reduces

recidivism,andaperiodofstabilitythatlastsjustafewyearscanhavesignificant,positive

consequencesonensuringthelong-termsuccessofanindividual’sreentry.1

2. Successfulreentryrequiresaccesstomeaningfulemploymentopportunities.

Transitioningoutofandawayfromthecriminaljusticesystemnecessitatestheabilityto

transitionintomorestableopportunitiesinourcommunity.AstheCouncilofState

Governmentsnotes,researchindicatesthatholdingajobreducesone’schancestorecidivate,

andjobstabilityoveranextendedperiodoftimecanreducethelikelihoodthatanindividual

willreoffend.2

3. Accesstomeaningfulemploymentopportunitiesrequiresimplementationor

expansionofBantheBoxpoliciesandthepassageoftheFairChanceAct.

ApproximatelyseventymillionpeopleinAmericahaveacriminalrecord,andthereareover

one-hundredmillioncriminalrecordsatthestatelevel.3Theinsidiousstigmaofcriminality

disproportionatelyimpactsblackmen,asone-in-threeofuswillbeincarceratedinour

lifetime.4Employershaveademonstrableandwell-recognizedreluctancetooffer

opportunitiestothemenandwomenwiththeserecords,5soanationwidepolicythatboth

highlightshowemployersaresystematicallyignoringqualifiedjobseekersand

simultaneouslylevelstheplayingfieldisakeystepinachievingequityofopportunity.

4. Understandingthelivedexperienceofformerlyincarceratedpeopleisvitalfor

successfulreform.

Thedata,theanalysis,andtheacademicresearcharecompellingandshouldhelpguideyour

actionsaselectedleadersinourcountry.However,thelivedexperiencesofthosemillionsof



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menandwomenwhowillbedirectlyimpactedbythedecisionsyoumakeshouldalsoinform

thoseactionsandshouldempoweryourunderstandingoftheseissuesbyofferingavitaland

oftenignoredperspective.

IofferthistestimonyasanationaladvocateforcriminaljusticereformandasPresidentof

JustLeadershipUSA,anationaladvocacyorganization,andalsoassomeonewhosepersonal

experienceshaveshapedanddefinedmyviewsofpracticesandsolutionsinthisfield.

Ihavenotonlystudied,analyzedanddebatedthepoliciesthatyouareconsidering.Ihavealsolived

withtheconsequencesofthedecisionslocalandnationalpolicymakershavemadeoverthepastfive

decades–decisionsthathaveledtomassincarceration,theunjustifiableandunrelenting

consequencesofthatincarceration,andthecreationofanewunderclassofcitizenshipinAmerica.

Sixyearsinprisonand,todate,seventeenyearsofpost-incarcerationreentryhavetaughtmethat

thoseclosesttotheproblemareclosesttothesolution,butoftenfarthestfromthepowerand

resourcesneededtodrivenecessarychange.

Ihaveexperiencedtheproblemofgovernment-sanctioneddiscriminationfromournation’s

employers,andknowwhatcanandmustbeachievedsothatthepeoplewhoarereturningfromour

prisonsandjailsdonotfacethesesame,unjustifiablechallenges.

Today,Iamspeakingwiththepeoplewhohavethepowerandresourcesneededtobringproposed

solutionstofruitionimmediately.Iaskthatyoucontinuetohearmyvoiceandthevoicesofthe

millionsofothersundercorrectionalsupervisioninthiscountryasyoudiscuss,debate,and

determineyournextstepsaftertoday’shearing.

Reducingrecidivismrequiressuccessfulreentry.

Thereisastrongbipartisanconsensusatalllevelsofourgovernmentthatwemustmakeaconcerted

efforttoreducerecidivism.6Thequestionisnotifweshouldachievethisgoal,buthow.

Simplyput,successfulholisticreentry–areentryprocessthatprioritizesaccesstostablehousing,

healthcare,education,andemployment–isthekeyfactorinreducingrecidivism.7



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Thereisanunmistakableurgencytoaddressingthisissue.Today,two-plusmillionAmericansare

incarceratedinourcountry.Anotherfour-plusmillionmenandwomenareundersomeformof

correctionalsupervision.OversixmillionAmericanswillhavetheirabilitytoreenterintotheir

communitiesdetermined,inpart,bythedecisionsyoumaketoday.8Andwhiletherehasbeenalotof

emphasisonwhatwecandotopreventincarcerationmovingforward,wehavenotdoneenoughto

dealwiththefactthatmillionsofpeoplepresentlysuffertheinjusticesrelatedtoincarceration.9

Thislackofconcreteactionisespeciallyalarmingconsideringthatatleast8%ofworking-agepeople

inourcountryarelabeledbyothersas“ex-felons,”meaningthatnearlyone-in-tenofthepeoplewho

areinourworkforcehavetheiraccesstoemploymentimpededbythestigmaofjustice

involvement.10Thisstigmadisproportionatelyimpactspeoplewholooklikeme.Youngblackmen

aretentimesmorelikelythantheirwhitecounterpartstohavebeenincarcerated,andblackmen

whodonothaveahighschooleducationhavea50%chanceofbeingincarceratedintheirlifetime.11

ButthisproblemisnotlimitedtoblackAmerica.Ournationhas5%oftheworld’spopulationand

over20%oftheworld’sincarceratedpopulation.Ourprisonpopulationgrewby408%between

1978and2014.12Allofusaredisproportionatelyimpactedbythepoliciesthatdrivemass

incarceration.Moreover,thefastestgrowingprisonpopulationstodayareinruralareas,asurge

fueledbyalargeincreaseinthenumberofincarceratedwhitewomen.13

Ourwideningstateofmassincarcerationhascreatedasecondclassofcitizens.Wehavealreadybuilt

theworldinwhichmillionssufferatthehandsofdiscriminatorypolicesandpractices.Itisuptoyou

todecidewhetherornotwearegoingtotakestepstoundothesepoliciesanddismantlean

infrastructurethathascreatedunbearable,untenable,andunjustifiableobstaclesfortoomanyofus.

Anythingshortoffullyandforcefullyremovingthebarriersthatexistinthereentryjourneysofthese

Americanswillresultinyourtacitapprovalofthefactthatwe,asanation,believethatthereare

somepeoplewhoareworthyofopportunitiesforgrowthandtransformation,andmanywhoarenot.

ThisCongressmustenactlawsandpromotepoliciesthateliminatethebarrierstosuccessfulreentry.

Frommyownexperienceandfromtheexperienceofthehundredsofformerly-andcurrently-

incarceratedmenandwomenthatJustLeadershipUSAworkswithandlearnsfromeveryday,Iknow

thatthereareseveralcomponentsrequiredtobuildacomprehensivereentryprocess.Oneofthe



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mostvitalofthosecomponentsistheonewe’rediscussingtoday:employment.

Successfulreentryrequiresaccesstomeaningfulemploymentopportunities.

Employmentismorethanapieceofthereentrypuzzle.Employmentis,inmanyinstances,the

primarydeterminantofwhetherornotaperson’sreentrywillbesuccessful.14Accesstoemployment

isthebridgetootheraspectsofholisticreentryandreintegration,includingtheabilitytoafford

housing,payformedicalandfamilyneeds,paychildsupport,andcareforourlovedones,who–due

toourowninvolvementinthecriminaljusticesystemandthesimilarityincircumstancesbetween

theirlivesandours–areespeciallysusceptibletobeinginterceptedandentrappedbythejustice

system.15Furthermore,maintainingemploymentistheonlywaythatthemillionsofmenandwomen

whoareonprobationorparolecanpaytheburdensomefeesassociatedwiththatsupervision–

paymentsthatarecrucialsincemissingonepaymentcouldsendsomeonebacktojailorprisonfora

sentencethat’sevenlongerthantheoneassociatedwiththeirunderlyingcharge.16Simplyput,

employmentcanandinmanycasesdoesempowerandacceleratesuccessful,permanentreentry.17

Whilepeoplewhodonothavelivedexperiencewiththeseissueswillsaythatself-motivationis

requiredonourpartbeforeyoufulfillyourresponsibilitiesineasingreentry,thoseofuswhohave

hadtoendurethepainfulbrandingofthecriminaljusticesystemandthestigmaassociatedwithit

willalltellyou:wewillseizeanyopportunitieswecantoensurethecessationofourinvolvement

withthejusticesystem.But,fartoooften,ourmotivationstosucceedareovershadowedbythelack

ofmotivationfromelectedofficialsandemployerstoeradicatethebarriersthatpreventthatsuccess.

Wecananddoapplytojobsassoonasweareableto.But56%ofemployerswillnotconsiderany

applicantwithacriminalrecord.18Considerthatwhilerememberingthestatisticscitedaboveabout

howmanypeoplewho,likeme,mustcarryacriminalrecordwiththemthroughouttheirlife.Yet,

evenwhenwedonothaveacriminalrecord,blackapplicantsreceivecallbacksinthejobapplication

processataratethatis20%lessthanourwhitecounterparts.19Infact,awhitemanwithacriminal

recordactuallyhasabetterchanceoflandinggainfulemploymentthanablackmanwithoutany

recordatall.Andforthemillionsofblackmenandwomenwhodohaveacriminalrecord,positive

outcomesinthejobprocessforarereducedby57%.20Wehavelessthan5%chanceatearninga

callbackinaninterview.21Motivationisnottheproblem.Opportunityis,anduntilyoutake

meaningfulactiontoeliminatethatgapbetweenusandthejobswearetryingtofill,thesedisparities

andtherelatedconsequenceswillworsen.22AkeystepinthatactionisimplementationoftheFair



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ChanceActandpromotionofBantheBoxpoliciesforpublicandprivateemployersinthiscountry.

Accesstomeaningfulemploymentopportunitiesrequiresimplementation

ofBantheBoxpoliciesandthepassageoftheFairChanceAct.

InmyardentsupportforBantheBoxpoliciesandthepassageoftheFairChanceAct,letmebe

unmistakablyclearonthispoint:thesemeasureswillnotontheirowneliminatethechallengesfaced

byformerlyincarceratedmenandwomenwhoareseekingaccesstoemploymentupontheirrelease.

Morespecifically,thesemeasureswillnoterasetheracisminouremploymentsystemsthatisa

directconsequenceandcarry-overfromthestructural,entrenched,and–insomecases–deepening

racismofourcriminaljusticesystem.23

Inlightofmyfirstpoint,Ireferyoutoanoft-circulatedgraphicthatdepictsthreeyoungchildren

standingbehindafenceattemptingtowatchabaseballgameontheothersideofthefence.Onechild

istallandcanseeoverthefence;oneisofmediumheightandcanbarelyseeoverthefence;andone

istheshortestofthethreeandcannotseeoverthefence.Thatsmallchildrepresentsthemillionsof

formerlyincarceratedindividuals,andthegamethechildrenarewatchingrepresentswhatwouldbe

consideredasuccessfulreentrybackintothecommunityforthosemillionsofAmericans.

Ononepanelofthisgraphic,eachchildis

standingonaboxthatisthesamesize,

andthecaptionsays,“Equality.”However,

witheachchildhavingthesamesizedbox

uponwhichtostand,thetallestchildhasa

betterview,themiddlechildhasagood

view,butthesmallestchildstillcannot

see.Thesecondpanelofthisgraphic

depictsthetallchildhavingnoboxesto

standon,themiddlechildstandingonone

box,andthesmallchildstandingontwo

boxes.Thecaptionhereis“Equity,”withtheideabeingthatequity–ourultimategoal–isnot

achievedbyone-sized-fits-allsolutions.Thosesolutionstendtobenefitthepeoplewhodonotneed

theextrasupportattheexpenseofpeoplewhoarealreadymostharmedbyourcurrentpolicies.



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JenniferDoleacandasmallnumberofothers24withoutlivedexperiencewiththeseissueswillargue

thatBantheBoxandtheFairChanceActarethese‘one-sized-fits-all’solutionsthatweacknowledge

willnot,ontheirown,besufficient.Theywillarguethatthesepolicieswillresultinwhatthefirst

panelonthatgraphicrepresents:worseningsystematicracismanddiscrimination.Theirargument

restsonfindingsshowingthatwhenemployerscannotinquireintocriminalhistory,theywillmake

discriminatorydecisionsbasedontheperceivedraceofanapplicant,instead.Inotherwords,giving

everyoneoneboxjustsetsusbackfurther–ithurtsthepeoplethatyou’retryingtohelpthemost.

WhatDoleacandothersmiss,however,isthis:wecannotgivethesmallestchild–thatblackmanor

womanwhohasbeenreleasedfromincarceration–twoboxestostandonunlessanduntilwegive

himoneboxtostandon,first.BantheBoxandtheFairChanceActarethatonebox.Thesearethe

policiesthatcanlaythefoundationtodowhatmustbedone.Theyareafirststepintheprocess.

Moreworkwillberequiredtoachievetrueracialequityinpost-incarcerationemploymentand

reducethebarriersthatblackandbrownmenfaceinattemptingasuccessfulreentryprocess,but

theneedforfuturestepscannotandshouldnotobviateyourwillingnesstotakestepone.

AsUnitedStatesRepresentatives,understandingthismeansunderstandingthemoralobligationsof

thepositionsthatyouhold,andnotallowingthepowerofthosepositionstobecurtailedby

misguidedandlimitedempiricalanalysisthatsetsoutnottoderiveaconclusionbuttoprovea

conclusionthathasalreadybeenformed.So,whileIacknowledgethatBantheBoxisnotacure-all

solution,Ialsourgeyoutorecognizethattheworkbeingdonetoundermineitsvalueisflawed.

Insomesense,Doleac’sconclusionsarepredictable.Theyaretheresultofallowingpreconceived

notionsofblacknessandcriminalitytodefineanoutlookonreality,andtheyaretheproductofan

analysistotallylackingintheculturalcompetencythatisrequiredforaccuratedatainterpretation.

Butwhenthatculturalawarenessisfactoredinandwhenastudyisconductedwithanopenmind,

theresultsarestartling:wehaveseen,insomeareasofthiscountry,anearly300%increaseinthe

amountofapplicantswithcriminalrecordswhoreceiveacall-backinterviewwhenBantheBox

policieswereimplemented.25

Moreover,whiletheimpactofthesepoliciesismostreadilyfeltintheearlystagesofajobapplication



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process,severalotherstudieshaveshownthatmovingpastthosestagesandactuallygaining

personalinteractionwithanemployerhasasignificantlypositiveimpactondeterminingwhetheror

notsomeonewillultimatelylandthejob.26Again–BantheBoxandtheFairChanceActarenot

sufficient,buttheirnecessityisobviousandcannotbeoverstated.

Beyondthisdata-drivenrefutabilityofitscentralfindings,Doleac’sargumentisfundamentally

flawedintwoimportantrespects.First,itattemptstoreversecausalityandallegethatBantheBox

policiesarecreatingsomethingthathasexistedinournationalhiringpracticesforcenturies:

racism.27BantheBoxdoesnotcreateracisminhiringpractices.Ifanything,itexposeshowdeeply

thatracismisentrenched.28Second,DoleacreliesonthiserroneouscausalreversaltoclaimthatBan

theBoxisdetrimentaltothecauseandthatwe,asblackjobapplicantsactuallyfarebetterwhenthe

stigmaofourcriminaljusticeinvolvementcanbebroughtfront-and-centerinthejobapplication

process,becauseweareassumedtohavethatinvolvement,anyway.

WhatistrulystunningaboutthishalfofDoleac’sargumentistheinferencecontainedtherein:forthe

fewblackmenwhohavenotbeenwrongfullyarrested,triedwithoutdueprocess,convictedtoan

overlyharshsentence,ormiredintheunnecessarilyburdensometrapsthatareourprobationand

parolesystems,doingawaywithBantheBoxwillhelpthembecauseitwillallowthemtopromote

theircomparative‘goodness’overthecriminalitythat,forresearcherslikeDoleac,defineseverything

aboutus,ourpotential,andourcommitmenttoanemploymentopportunity.29

Doleac’sargumentseemspremisedontheideathatyoushouldonlyseektohelpthe‘good’,‘well-

behaved’blackmen,andthattryingtohelptheothers–us–hurtsourbrothersandsisterswho,for

reasonsthatgofarbeyondthescopeoftoday’shearing,arenotvictimizedbyourjusticesystem.Not

onlyisthisdemonstrablyuntrue,asmostblackapplicantsfareworsethanourwhitecounterparts,

butalsoitspeakstoanignoranceofthescopeofourincarcerationproblem.30Theproblemistoobig

formarginal,culturalreformstoserveasourgo-tosolutions.Boldpolicytransformationisvital.

BantheBoxandtheFairChanceActarecrucialcomponentsofcreatingaraciallyjustandequitable

employmentsituationforthemillionsofblackandbrownmenwhohaveacriminalrecord.These

policiesareanintegralpartofcomprehensiveandunapologeticallyboldcriminaljusticereformthat

willbenecessarytoundothedecadesofracist,myopic,anderroneouspoliciesthatwereenacted

throughthisbody.TheFairChanceActandarequirementforallemployerstoBantheBoxintheir



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applicationprocesseswillopenupjobopportunitiesforformerlyincarceratedindividualswhomight

otherwisesteerclearofpotentialopportunityforfearofhowthestigmaofjusticeinvolvementwill

setthembacknotjustinthatapplication,butintheiroverallreentry.31

Additionally,asthishearingseekstounderstandwhattheUnitedStatesGovernmentandtheBureau

ofPrisonscandotolowerthebarrierstosuccessfulreentry,Iurgeeachofyoutounderstandthatthe

FairChanceActandthemessageitspassagewouldpromoteareessentialnotjustinremovingthose

barriers,butalsoinpreventingthosebarriersfromreemergingasfuturereformstakehold.There

aremyriadreasonsthatblackandbrownmenfaceuniquechallengesinseekinggainfulemployment,

andthesechallengesareonlyincreasedwhenwehavebeendeemedbythesystemsyouputinplace

tobecriminals,or–worseyet–irredeemableandunemployable.TheFairChanceAct,whilenot

sufficienttoundothecumulativeeffectsofyourcollectiveinactiononthisfront,wouldbeacrucial

stepforwardinincreasingaccesstoemploymentforformerlyincarceratedindividuals,which–along

withothervitalreforms–willreducerecidivismandresultinasafer,fairer,morecost-efficient

criminaljusticesystem.32

AndtospeaktoDoleac’scentralthesisonelasttime,Iwouldurgeyoutoleveragehermisguided

conclusiontoimproveyourwork:ifBantheBoxpoliciesdoexposethedeep-seatednatureofracism

inournation’semployers,usetheknowledgegainedfromtheirimplementationtodevelopother

toolsthatcanbeusedincollaborationwiththeFairChanceActtoendtheseabhorrentpracticesfor

good.Usethepowerandresourcesatyourdisposaltodowhatyouknowmustbedonebasedonthe

experiencesofpeoplelikeme–peoplewhohavebeenclosesttotheproblemswemustsolve.

Understandingthelivedexperienceofformerlyincarceratedpeople

isvitalforsuccessfulreform.

Ifyouwanttostepinmyshoesandwalkonthepathsthatledmehere,Iaskeachofyoutothink

backtothelasttimeyoubroughtapairofsunglasses.Iaskeachofyoutogobacktothatmoment

whenthesalespersonshowedyouthelateststylesandrangyouupafteryouchoseapairthatyou

liked.AndIaskyou,now:describethatsalespersoninoneword.

Mostofyouwouldprobablysaytheywerea“person,”orperhapsa“man”or“woman.”Someofyou

mightsay“old”or“young.”Iamwillingtobet,though,thatnoneofyouwouldsay“criminal.”And

that’sironic,becausemybeingbrandedacriminalbyasystemthatCongresshelpedtobuildisthe



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reasonthatIcouldnotgetajobsellingsunglassesafterservingsixyearsinNewYorkStatePrison.

ThatwasthefirstjobforwhichIappliedasIwascomingoutofprison.Iwalkedintotheshopin

downtownNewYorkandappliedtobeasalesperson.Iwasexcitedjusttobeoutofprisonandtobe

thisclose,soquickly,towhatfeltlikeafirststeptowardhomeandawayfromthecages,walls,and

barbedwirefencesthathadbeenmyexistenceformostoftheprevioustenyears.

Themanageratthestoresaidhe’dbeexcitedtohireme,andthathewouldcallmethenextdaywith

moredetails.Icouldnothavebeenprouder–Iwasgoingtobeoneoftheluckyoneswhogotajob.

Havingajobmeanteverything.Iwasgoingtobeoneoftheguyswhoneverwentback.

Thatfeelingcamecrashingdownlaterthatnightwhenthemanagercalledmeandtoldmethathe

ranabackgroundcheckandfoundafelonyconvictiononmyrecord.Therewasnopointdenyingit.

Hewasright.I’dlostanopportunitybecauseofsomethingthatIdidsixyearsago–somethingthatI

thoughtI’dbeenpunishedfor,already.Isn’tthatwhyIwasincarcerated-topunishmeandtoteach

mealesson?ItturnsoutthatmysentencedidnotendwhenIsteppedbeyondtheprisonwalls.In

manyways,thesecondhalfofmysentencewasjustbeginning.

Iappliedtofiftyjobsinthirtydays.Noonewaswillingtohireaconvictorafelonoraninmate.They

mayhavebeenwillingtohireasonorabrother,butthosewereidentitiesthatweretakenfromme

bythestigmaofconvictionandincarceration.ThosewereidentitiesthatIwasforcedtosetaside

becauseBantheBoxwasnotsomethingIcouldbenefitfrom.Itdidnotexistthen.So,instead,Iwas

forcedtoconfronttheidentitythathadbeengiventomebyasystemdesignedtokeepmetrapped.

Thesetbacksweremorethananimmediateproblem.Theywereanagonizingreminderthatsixyears

ofplanningmayhavebeenfruitless.Theywerethecrushingbody-blowsthatforceyoungblackmen

likemetoreconcilewiththefactthatourincarcerationisnotlimitedtothephysicalboundariesof

ourcages.Thesetbacksprovedthatpreparednesswaspointless–thatinthefaceofthehurdlesIwas

forcedtoconfront,yearsoflearning,healing,andtransformationmeantnothingwhenallthelabor

marketcaredaboutwasthefactthatIboreascarletletteralertingthemtomystatusasacriminal.

Ourgovernmentiscomplicitinthis.Unlessourgovernmenttakesmeaningfulaction,including

passageoftheFairChanceAct,ourgovernmentwillcontinuetoprotectandpromotethere-

victimizationofmenandwomen–especiallyofmenandwomenofcolor–whohavealreadyfallen



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preytoajusticesystemthatdoeslesstorestoreourhumanitythanitdoestorepackageand

perpetuatepastformsofracialdiscriminationandsegregation.

Whenyouaresentencedinacourtoflaw,thereisaceremonyinvolved.Theothermenandwomen

fromthroughoutthecommunitygettocomewatchasanotheryoungblackmanisshackledand

takenaway,hisvoicedrownedoutbythechorusofhisoppressors.Butwhenyouarereleasedfrom

thatsentence,youfindyourselflookingupattoweringcementwallandlookingbackthroughthe

doorsattheonlyfriendsandfamilyyou’veknownforthepastseveralyears.Thereisnoceremonyto

welcomeyouback.Thereisonlytheconstantreminderthattoomanypeopleinthecommunitydid

notwantyoubackinthefirstplace.

Thereisamomentwheretheworldsitsusdown.

Thereisnotamomentwheretheworldhelpsusstandbackup.

WhilepassageoftheFairChanceActwillnotbetantamounttohavingaceremonyforsomeone’s

return,andwhileitwillnot,onitsown,bethehandthatreachesouttoustogetusbackonourfeet,

itwillbeameaningfulstepinthatdirection.

Itwouldbe,formanyofus,thefirsttimethattheverysamesystemsthatheldusbackarenowgoing

tobethesystemsthathelppropelusforward.Itwouldsignaltousthatyourecognizethechallenges

wefaceandthatyouintendtodosomethingaboutthosechallenges.Itwouldmakecleartothesix-

plusmillionAmericanswhomustendurethecollateralconsequencesofourcriminaljusticesystem

thatyoustillrepresentthemandarewillingtofightforandprotecttheirbestinterests.

IknowhowmeaningfulyouractioncouldbebecauseIworkwiththemenandwomenwhomyour

decisionswillmostdirectlyaffect.IamthefounderandPresidentofJustLeadershipUSA,anational

advocacyorganizationthatseekstocutthecorrectionalpopulationintheUnitedStatesinhalfby

2030byempoweringthepeoplemostimpactedbythecriminaljusticesystemtodrivecriminal

justicereform.Inanorganizationwithover50staffpositionsandthatrunsleadershiptrainingsthat

nowhaveover370graduates,Ihaveneveronceaskedanyapplicantaboutacriminalconviction.I

haveneverneededto,becauseIamabletoassesstheirpreparednessbyseeingsomethingmuch

morepowerfulandmeaningful:theirhumanity.



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Ihaveoftensaidthatthehardestdayinprisonisthelastbecauseyouknowyou’releavingbehind

someofthebestandthebrightestthatthisnationhastooffer.Fortunately,today,Iamabletowork

withandhelpelevatethevoicesofmanyofthesemenandwomen.Buttherearemillionsofpeople

whomyworkwillnotreach–millionsofpeoplewhosehopeforredemptionrestsinyourhands.

Iurgeyou,asmembersofthisCommitteeandyourcolleagues,asourelectedRepresentativesin

Congress,toPasstheFairChanceActanddoeverythinginyourpowertopromoteBantheBox

policies.I,andmillionsofothers,arecountingonyou.

-GlennE.Martin

FounderandPresidentofJustLeadershipUSA



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Endnotes1Lynch,L.andMuñoz.C.(Eds.)(2016).TheFederalInteragencyReentryCouncil:ARecordofProgress

andRoadmapfortheFuture.Washington.D.C.:UnitedStatesDepartmentofJustice.

2Duran,L.,Plotkin,M.,andPotter,P.(2013).IntegratedReentryandEmploymentStrategies:Reducing

RecidivismandPromotingJobReadiness.NewYork,NY:CouncilofStateGovernmentsJusticeCenter;

Visher,C.,Debus,S.,andYahner,J.(2008).EmploymentAfterPrison:ALongitudinalStudyofReleasees

inThreeStates.Washington,D.C.:UrbanInstitute;Sampson,R.andLaub.,J.(1993).Crimeinthe

Making:PathwaysandTurningPointsThroughLife.Cambridge,MA:HarvardUniversityPress.

3Friedman,M.(2015).JustFacts:AsManyAmericansHaveCriminalRecordsasCollegeDiplomas.New

York,NY:BrennanCenterforJusticeattheNewYorkUniversitySchoolofLaw.

4Lyons,C.,Pettit,B.(2011).CompoundedDisadvantage:Race,Incarceration,andWageGrowth.

Oxford,U.K.:OxfordUniversityPressonbehalfofTheSocietyfortheStudyofSocialProblems.

5Lynch,L.andMuñoz.C.(Eds.)(2016).TheFederalInteragencyReentryCouncil:ARecordofProgress

andRoadmapfortheFuture.Washington.D.C.:UnitedStatesDepartmentofJustice.Citing:Albright,S.

andDenq.F.(1996).EmployerAttitudesTowardHiringEx-Offenders;Giguere,R.andDundes,L.

(2002).HelpWanted:ASurveyofEmployerConcernsaboutHiringEx-Convicts;Holzer,H.,Raphael,S.,

andStoll,M.(2004).TheEffectofanApplicant’sCriminalHistoryonEmployerHiringDecisionsand

ScreeningPractices:EvidencefromLosAngeles;andPager,D.(2007).Marked:Race,Crime,and

FindingWorkinanEraofMassIncarceration.

6Khan,S.(2016).CriminalJusticeReform:ARareAreaofBipartisanConsensus.Berkeley,CA:Berkeley

PoliticalReview.

7Bowman,S.andTravis,R.(2012).PrisonerReentryandRecidivismAccordingtotheFormerly

IncarceratedandReentryServiceProviders:AVerbalBehaviorApproach.SanMarcos,TX:Schoolof

CriminalJusticeatTexasStateUniversity;Bouffard,J.andBergseth,K.(2008).TheImpactofReentry

ServicesonJuvenileOffenders’Recidivism.Greenbelt,MD:YouthViolenceandJuvenileJustice.



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8Jacobson,M.andSchiraldi,V.(2017).LessisMore:HowReducingProbationPopulationscanImprove

Outcomes.Cambridge,MA:JohnF.KennedySchoolofGovernmentatHarvardUniversity.

9Pager,D.(2003).TheMarkofaCriminalRecord.Chicago,IL:NorthwesternUniversity.

10Pager,D.(2003).TheMarkofaCriminalRecord.Chicago,IL:NorthwesternUniversity;Jacobson,M.

andSchiraldi,V.(2017).LessisMore:HowReducingProbationPopulationscanImproveOutcomes.

Cambridge,MA:JohnF.KennedySchoolofGovernmentatHarvardUniversity.

11Pager,D.(2003).TheMarkofaCriminalRecord.Chicago,IL:NorthwesternUniversity;Pettit,B.and

Western,B.(2001).“InequalityinLifetimeRisksofImprisonment.”Paperpresentedattheannual

meetingsoftheAmericanSociologicalAssociation.Anaheim,August.

12ACLU.(2017).ThePrisonCrisis.Online:https://www.aclu.org/prison-crisis;Liptak,A.(2008).U.S.

PrisonPopulationDwarfsthatofOtherNations.NewYork,NY:NewYorkTimes.

13Huling,T.(2002).BuildingaPrisonEconomyinRuralAmerica.NewYork,NY:TheNewPress;

Yurkanin,A.(2017).Poor,Rural,andAddicted:DrugsDriveSurgeinWhiteWomeninPrison.

Birmingham,AL:AL.com.

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ImproveOutcomes.Cambridge,MA:JohnF.KennedySchoolofGovernmentatHarvardUniversity.



14

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Seealso:TheNewYorkCityimplementationoftheFairChanceActprovidespenaltiesforper

seviolationsoftheFairChanceAct.Penaltiesforsmallcompaniesrangefrom$500to$3,500

forfirstviolation,and$1,000to10,000forasecondviolation

(https://www.ebglaw.com/content/uploads/2017/09/Act-Now-Advisory-New-York-City-

Finalizes-Rules-to-Fair-Chance-Act.pdf).

InMinneapolis,lessthan6%ofapplicantswhosebackgroundcheckswereflaggedfor

concernwerehiredbythecity,butaftertheadoptionofBantheBox,thatjumpedto54.7%

(http://www.nelp.org/content/uploads/2015/03/Seizing-Ban-the-Box-Momentum-

Advance-New-Generation-Fair-Chance-Hiring-Reforms.pdf;

https://newrepublic.com/article/121775/ban-box-people-criminal-records-it-works).

Minneapolisalsofoundthatthepolicyreducedthetimeandresourcesneededtoprocess

applicantsformunicipaljobsby28percent(https://newrepublic.com/article/121775/ban-

box-people-criminal-records-it-works).

Glenn E. Martin – Founder and President, JustLeadershipUSA

Glenn E. Martin is the founder and President of JustLeadershipUSA and founder of the

#CLOSErikers campaign. His goal is to amplify the voices of the people most impacted

by mass incarceration to position them as leaders in criminal justice reform. Glenn

speaks from personal experience, having spent six years incarcerated in a New York State

prison in the early 1990s. That experience informs his career and the advocacy for which

he has earned several honors, including the 2016 Robert F. Kennedy Human Rights

Award and the 2014 Echoing Green Black Male Achievement Fellowship.

Prior to founding JLUSA, he was the Vice President of The Fortune Society, one of the

most respected reentry organizations in the country; the Co-Director of the National

HIRE Network at the Legal Action Center; and a Co-Founder of the Education from the

Inside Out Coalition. His advocacy has been profiled by national publications and has

garnered support from notable activists and public figures, including John Legend, Piper

Kerman, and Kerry Kennedy.

Fair Chance Act - United States House Committee on Oversight … · 2017-12-13 · Glenn E. Martin:...

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