National Bar Association Encourages Banning the Box in Georgia

As the general counsel for Seton Hill University, Imogene L. Cathey is consulted on laws and issues as they relate to academic governance at the University. Moreover, Imogene Cathey maintains active membership with several professional organizations, including the National Bar Association (NBA). Founded in 1924, the NBA is renowned as the longest-standing association that is comprised of law students, lawyers, and judges who are predominantly African American. Having expanded beyond the United States, it also includes the United Kingdom and the Caribbean. In a 2016 newsletter, the NBA discussed criminal justice reform in the state of Georgia. Because the state has a high incarceration rate, there are many individuals who have paid their debt to society. However, many job applications require them to state if they have served time or not. Because Georgia is a state that is already drained by the amount of taxes required to support the jail system, this further hurts poor communities within the state. By making it easier for former prisoners to find work and pay into the tax system, banning the box will bring economic growth to the state.