Dive Brief:
- Louisiana has become the first state in the nation to disallow public colleges and universities from asking about a potential student’s criminal history during the application process, thanks to a bill passed nearly unanimously in the state’s legislature and signed by Gov. John Bel Edwards last month, according to the Christian Science Monitor.
- Advocates argue that the approach can help ex-offenders gain access to better career opportunities post-graduation, which they argue will benefit both the students and society after they graduate — though the bill does include some exceptions, including for crimes of rape or sexual battery.
- About 35% of colleges in a survey reported that they had made an admissions decision based on an applicant’s criminal history, and there is evidence to suggest that removing the ability for public colleges and universities to ask may not only help more applicants gain entry, but make more potential students apply in the first place.
Dive Insight:
Advocates in higher ed who want to “ban the box” during the application process for public institutions may be able to convince state legislatures of their approach by arguing that such discrimination would unnecessarily impede ex-offenders’ ability to positively contribute to the state’s economy post-incarceration. However, additional assistance may be needed as ex-offenders transition into college life to ensure that opportunities are available for them to flourish. Depending on how long and recent their incarceration may have been, more substantive remedial instruction may be required, including more work to introduce career and technical education concepts, tools and resources to them.
For greater insight into how colleges and universities can offer necessary support for these students, higher ed institutions can look to Project Rebound, which was developed for several public colleges and universities in California. The project, which started last year, created offices on several campuses where students with a criminal history could receive tutoring, as well as counseling on financial aid and cash assistance if needed for additional educational expenses, like meals or textbooks. Members of Project Rebound also made visits to local prisons to inform inmates of the possibility of postsecondary education after their release. Comprehensive centers of assistance could be a cost-effective approach to offering outreach and support unique to the challenges facing formerly incarcerated individuals enrolled in higher ed.