Nakamura’s research supports executive order on “banning the box”
President Obama recently signed an executive order asking federal agencies to exclude criminal record information from their job applications. The order does not prohibit seeking such information, but it does aim to reduce the disadvantage that incarcerated individuals face by not being able to pass through the first stage of screening as successfully as non-incarcerated individuals. Faculty associate Kiminori Nakamura’s research substantiates this order by showing that incarcerated individuals, after a period of 7-10 years, pose no greater threat or risk compared with non-incarcerated individuals. Therefore, treating all criminal records equally may disadvantage many job applicants who may otherwise be comparable to individuals without a criminal record.
According to a study by the Pew Charitable Trust, 1 in 12 African American men, and 1 in 36 Hispanic men, have been incarcerated. Additionally, an estimated 70 million U.S. adults hold a criminal record. Therefore, this executive order may improve the economic prospects and life chances of many Americans, and minorities in particular.