ST. PAUL, Minn. - Several pieces of proposed state legislation this session are aiming to give ex-offenders a true second chance at living successfully in the community.

One, known as "ban the box," would require private-sector employers to remove questions about criminal history from their job applications. Sarah Walker, founder of the Minnesota Second Chance Coalition, says employment is a critical factor in reducing recidivism, but requiring ex-offenders to "check the box" about criminal background on job applications greatly diminishes any opportunity they have at getting the job. She says "ban the box" is about giving them fair consideration by employers.

"The message it sends is if you are willing, and you are ready to change your life, and you are looking for employment, you are going to at least be granted an interview, and we will judge you based on your skills and competency."

Each adult male kept from incarceration saves the state $35,000 each year, Walker says, and adds another taxpayer contributing to the economy.

The legislation is an extension of the 2009 Minnesota law to "ban the box" from public-sector employment applications. Since then, several other states have adopted similar laws.

Two years into a five-year prison sentence, De'Angelo Chester made the decision to turn his life around. He attended parenting classes, underwent job training and did everything he could to get ready for his return home. Full of optimism when he was released, he quickly got discouraged.

"I had the training for the jobs I was applying for, but since I checked that box as a felon, I wasn't getting no call backs. I was just getting 'Thank you, but we don't got any positions for you.' And so it was hard for me to go home every day and look my kids and my wife in the eyes."

Before losing hope, he turned to Good Will Easter Seals' prisoner re-entry program, and on Friday he graduated from their automotive training. Chester says he wants to teach his children that hard work pays off, and hopes state lawmakers will pass the law so that ex-offenders have a real chance to prove themselves.

Former Gov. Al Quie admits that when he was a senator decades ago, he wouldn't have dreamed of supporting the legislation. That changed 41 years ago when he started mentoring prisoners. He says having access to employment is critical for ex-offenders to rebuild their lives and their dignity.

"Never hide what you went into prison for at all, but to have to check the box that you have a criminal record before an employer will even look at you, that is wrong. The HR person needs to be able to look in your eyes to see what kind of character he or she sees there."

More information on the coalition's proposed legislation is available at mnsecondchancecoalition.org.




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Some federal incentives to bring internet access to Indian Country neglected to require tribal participation, according to a new report.

The Federal Communications Commission's 2020 Rural Digital Opportunity Fund awarded more than $9 billion to cable and satellite operators, phone companies and others to deploy broadband in areas lacking it. The report from the Institute for Local Self Reliance showed the program included no requirement for tribal consent or engagement before companies placed bids.

Jessica Auer, tribal broadband policy analyst at the Institute for Local Self Reliance and the report's author, said it left some tribes, especially those with their own broadband projects, in what she called a "bureaucratic boondoggle," leading to "tension and confusion."

"They're required to spend resources and staff time trying to contest these awards, confronted by outside providers who feel that they have a mandate and a right to build on sovereign tribal lands," Auer explained.

Auer argued not including tribal nations at the table is, in many cases, considered a violation of tribal sovereignty. According to a 2022 study, households in tribal areas are about 24% less likely to have access to broadband internet than others.

In some cases, tribes are able to build the projects themselves. The Rosebud Sioux Tribe was awarded a $40-million grant to connect more than 1,500 tribal households with fiber internet access and an LTE wireless network.

Auer noted it is preferable to a company building infrastructure in unfamiliar terrain, which can be detrimental.

"I just can't think that it necessarily makes them the most long-term effective and sustainable answer, when they have so little knowledge and familiarity with local realities," Auer added.


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Iowa has enlisted the help of businesses across the state to take on human trafficking.

Tomorrow marks World Day Against Trafficking in Persons, and the state is calling on residents and employees alike to be aware of the signs that someone could be a victim.

The widepread use of social media has made it harder to corral sex traffickers in recent years.

Secretary of State Paul Pate launched the Iowa Business Against Trafficking Initiative in 2022, to ask 300,000 employees of 800 Iowa businesses to be the eyes and ears if they sense a person is being trafficked.

"Well, we're not asking anyone to be a hero here," said Pate. "What we're asking them to be is good neighbors. It's like a neighborhood watch program. You watch for suspicious or unusual behavior, activities that are going on, and let law enforcement know - because they can't be everywhere all the time."

Pate has enlisted the help of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security this year - which has started an initiative to remind people that if they suspect they spot human trafficking, they should say something to local authorities.

Tom Ruck is the senior engagement manager for the Department of Homeland Security's Blue Campaign against human trafficking, and has been in Iowa to boost Pate's efforts at confronting it.

He said it's important not to try to physically step in and rescue a person who appears to be a trafficking victim, even if that's the natural inclination of someone who wants to help.

"But we could put you at harm for doing something," said Ruck. "The trafficker may try to hurt you - and definitely the person being trafficked could be put in harm's way, down the road. So we say, 'Call your local authorities.'"

He added that traffickers often prey on young people who report feeling isolated, depressed, or estranged from their parents - and the criminals work those angles to make contact with prospective victims.




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A new survey shows there's been an increase in the number of police officers on the streets since the COVID-19 exodus, but some Americans are still behaving badly when they think no one's looking.

A survey by the Police Executive Research Forum shows more sworn officers were hired in 2023 than any of the previous four years, and fewer officers overall resigned or retired.

Lance LoRusso, founder of the Blue Line Lawyer Institute, said bad behavior is still evident in communities where not enough officers were available to patrol parks or other public spaces.

"There is a segment of the population that if they don't believe there's consequences for their actions, they will not act in a lawful manner," LoRusso asserted. "They don't, because there's nobody making sure that they're taking care of their obligations and they're treating each other in a civil manner."

More than 200 law enforcement agencies responded to the survey. It showed that while small and medium departments had more sworn officers than they did in January 2020, large departments are still more than 5% below earlier staffing levels.

In March, New Mexico's Bernalillo County Sheriff's Department announced a crackdown on drivers traveling at excessive speeds, which LoRusso said became a problem during the pandemic coast to coast and has not subsided in some areas. He says citizens should not hesitate to report such incidents.

"People racing cars is dangerous. It's completely anti-social, unlawful, dangerous behavior that shows a complete disrespect for the other people in your community. And yet, it's tolerated," he said.

Car break-ins also increased during the pandemic, which LoRusso said might feel like an isolated incident, but is usually indicative of a larger problem.