Ban the Box and Racial Discrimination

More than 150 cities and counties and 34 states and Washington, DC, have adopted ban-the-box policies, which remove questions about criminal history from job applications and delay background checks until later in the hiring process. Recent research shows that ban the box has increased callback rates for people with criminal records, but that it has also reduced the likelihood that employers call back or hire young black and Latino men. This brief from the Urban Institute explores policy additions to prevent negative impacts on people of color, while still improving job access for people with criminal records.