Ban the box
Driving through any town in Maine you will find numerous signs at local businesses that say “Now Hiring,” “Join Our Team,” or “Apply Within.” Employers in Maine are struggling to fill their hiring needs. Why then has Maine not tapped into the most underutilized workforce, those transitioning from the correctional system? According to the Prison Policy Initiative, “4,900 people in Maine are locked up in various kinds of facilities; 2,100 in local jails, 2,200 in state prisons, 160 in youth detention centers, 460 Federal prisons.”
The “ Ban the Box” campaign was started in order to reduce discriminatory hiring practices for individuals with a criminal record. “The campaign challenges the stereotypes of people with conviction histories by asking employers to choose their best candidates based on job skills and qualifications, not past convictions,” according to its website. Doesn’t every job applicant want to be hired based on their ability to perform the job functions? There is a large candidate pool not even being considered to fill employers needs.
If Maine was one of the 11 states to adopt ban the box, individuals would be less likely to reoffend and employer’s needs would be met. Let’s stop discriminating and start hiring.
Susan Wiley
Biddeford
Police transparency
The Bangor Police Department shows good judgment, restraint and sensitivity to special situations (mental illness, homelessness, protesters, etc.). They show community spirit and a good sense of humor (see their Facebook page or the “Duck of Justice”).
And they do awesome work: apprehending a man who fired 70 shots out a window on Park Street without injuring him; talking a man off the Union Street overpass for over an hour; jumping in the freezing cold Penobscot to save a man who jumped off the Interstate 395 bridge. Or when a young officer returned fire on a fugitive felon in a stolen vehicle on outer Hammond Street.
On Grove Street last month, police shot a man. Two days later, the only details we had were from a neighbor who spoke to the BDN. The Bangor Police Department’s policy of withholding all details for days after a shooting is outmoded, unnecessary and counterproductive. Across America, shooting reports include preliminary facts and circumstances. But the Bangor Police Department seems to run everything by risk-management lawyers for days.
When the San Bernardino mass murderers were shot and killed, the nation heard details from police immediately. But in Bangor, they can’t even say “During a domestic disturbance, a screaming man attacked officers with a knife and was shot and wounded”?
It helps no one to say “no details will be released, pending ongoing investigation.” Reporting “what you know now” never compromises a case. And “cooling-off-periods” for officers interrogated for shootings are controversial and proven ineffective.
John Picone
Bangor
Give blood
The fall and winter can be a busy time full of fun activities and travel, but the same activities that bring joy can also negatively impact patients in need of lifesaving transfusions. The American Red Cross is facing a severe blood shortage and has issued an urgent call for eligible donors of all blood types to give now and avoid delays in medical care for patients. Right now, blood donations are being distributed to hospitals faster than donations are coming in.
Volunteer blood drive sponsors are also critically needed to host drives in December, January and February to prevent the shortage from continuing throughout the winter. Fewer groups signing up to host blood drives in September and October coupled with the widespread cancellation of scheduled drives as a result of hurricanes Michael and Florence were key factors that contributed to the current shortage. Winter blood drive hosts can also play a key role in helping to end it.
There’s a chance you may know someone who has been helped by a blood transfusion. Blood and platelet donations are often used in the treatment of those being treated for cancer or sickle cell disease, heart surgery and organ transplant recipients, and accident and burn victims
On behalf of the Red Cross, I’m inviting you to roll up a sleeve and give the gift of life. Your gift could lead to a lifetime of holiday memories for patients in need. To make an appointment to donate and sign up to host a blood drive, visit RedCrossBlood.org.
Patricia A. Murtagh
Chief executive officer
American Red Cross Maine Region
Portland