Reynolds-Jackson, Jasey, Carter & Wimberly Introduce Legislation to Encourage College Admissions Process to Look “Beyond the Box”

Bill Would Prohibit College Applications from Inquiring About Criminal History

(TRENTON) – Joining the nationwide movement to remove barriers to higher education for individuals with a criminal record, Assembly Democrats Verlina Reynolds-Jackson, Mila Jasey, Linda Carter and Benjie Wimberly sponsor legislation to protect prospective students from being asked about their criminal histories.

According to a study on criminal history screening and college application attrition rates, almost two-thirds of prospective students who have a conviction do not complete their applications after answering “yes” to the criminal history question. Several states—such as California, Colorado, Louisiana, Maryland and Washington—have already taken action to remove the question on college admission applications.

Under the bill (A-3869), colleges in New Jersey would not be able to ask potential students about their criminal histories during the application process, save for particularly egregious crimes such as murder, sexual assault and other serious crimes. Only after accepting an applicant could an institution ask about their criminal history for the purposes of offering supportive counseling services and making decisions about a student’s participation in university life.

The legislation also calls for the creation of a Universal College Application Development Task Force, which would be responsible for creating a standard, universal application for admission to be used by New Jersey’s colleges. Prospective students would still be able to submit their applications through the Common App, which “banned the box” itself during the 2019-2020 application year.

            Upon the bill’s introduction, Assembly sponsors Reynolds-Jackson (D-Mercer, Hunterdon), Jasey (D-Essex, Morris), Carter (D-Middlesex, Somerset, Union) and Wimberly (D-Bergen, Passaic) issued the following joint statement:

“The criminal history question on college applications creates a significant barrier to reentry for applicants with convictions. For these applicants, it’s easy to feel discouraged from applying to college when faced with a single ‘yes or no’ question that detracts from their academic credentials and reduces them to their worst moments.

 “Past mistakes should not have the power to completely derail a young person’s life and prevent them from securing the education they need to break the cycle and achieve their career goals.

“By banning the box, we can remove barriers in the college admissions process for these individuals and give prospective students a second chance to improve their lives through collegiate studies.”

The bill has been referred to the Assembly Higher Education Committee.