This past November, a controversy erupted when it was discovered that Hartford, Connecticut Mayor Pedro Segarra’s nomination for Deputy Chief of Staff had a criminal history. Although Hartford has a Ban the Box ordinance to give qualified individuals a second chance to obtain employment, Kennard Ray chose to withdraw his nomination for Deputy Chief of Staff , but will continue to advocate for people who are trying to start a new life after criminal convictions. In a move that stunned some organizations that fought hard to get Ban the Box passed in Hartford, Segarra said he created a new policy that would automatically run background checks on any potential candidate prior to being nominated for a job. This move runs counter to the intent of Ban the box which is not to inquire about a person’s criminal history until after they are considered to be in the running for a job. To view NBC CT’s exclusive interview with Ray click here to go to website.
In Flint, Michigan they do things a bit differently. Convicted murderer Wantwaz Davis was elected to the City Council, beating the incumbent. Wantwaz claims he has always been open about serving 19 years for killing the man who allegedly raped his mother and is qualified to hold his postion.
Two Cities, two people trying to redeem themselves, and two very different outcomes.
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