College applications previously included criminal history questions, which often prevented many with a criminal record from going back to school.
But with new legislation, everyone can now have the opportunity to change the direction of their lives. Schools are now being asked to change their policies and eliminate all criminal and juvenile justice questions from their applications, according to Maui Now.
"Everyone deserves the chance to rebuild their life through higher education, whether they have a criminal record or not. But many colleges and universities include unnecessary questions about criminal history in their admissions processes. It's a barrier that all too often keeps people from heading back to school," Sen. Brian Schatz (D-Hawaii) wrote in an Aug. 25 Facebook post. "That's why I reintroduced legislation encouraging schools to remove questions about criminal records from their applications. This is a simple way to make sure more potential students get a fair shot at a better future."
The original cosponsors of the Beyond the Box for Higher Education Act include: U.S. Sens. Dick Durbin (D-Illinois), Amy Klobuchar (D-Minnesota), Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nevada), Ed Markey (D-Massachusetts), Elizabeth Warren (D-Massachusetts), Jeff Merkley (D-Oregon), Alex Padilla (D-California), Tammy Baldwin (D-Wisconsin), Chris Van Hollen (D-Maryland) and Richard Blumenthal (D-Connecticut). Companion legislation is being led by Rep. Madeleine Dean (D-Pennsylvania) in the U.S. House of Representatives.
According to records, an estimated 70 million people in America have criminal records, which are brought up every time they have to undergo a background check, according to Maui Now.
Schatz also said that studies have revealed students with a criminal record are more likely to be rejected, and the rejection rates are 12 to 13% higher than those without a criminal record.
In order to take it one step further, Schatz also sent letters to the "Big Six" associations of higher education. More than 20 organizations have supported this legislation, including the NAACP, National Association for College Admission Counseling and The Education Trust, according to Schatz's website.