Should we make it easier for people with criminal records to find work?
While ban the box laws are designed to encourage employers to keep an open mind when evaluating people with criminal records, there is no evidence that it actually leads to more hires, according to Eli Lehrer, president of R Street Institute, a Washington, D.C.-based libertarian think tank that advocates for free markets and limited government.
“If there were evidence to support ‘ban the box’ I would get behind it,” said Lehrer. “But we are still waiting for that gold standard study. There’s no proof it works.”
