Ban The Box Hypothesis BUSTED In Kansas City?!?!

Right now we consider the real world implications of forgiveness and second chances. 

Remember . . . 

For years progressive Kansas City politicos have encouraged local biz to hire felons and abandon employment restrictions. 

Felony forgiveness is part of a nationwide movement . . .

A reference for the uninitiated offers the premise . . .

Ban the Box is the name of an American campaign by advocates for ex-offenders, aimed at removing the check box that asks if applicants have a criminal record from hiring applications. Its purpose is to enable ex-offenders to display their qualifications in the hiring process before being asked about their criminal records. The premise of the campaign is that anything that makes it harder for ex-offenders to find a job makes it likelier that they will re-offend, which is bad for society.

However, a recent story reveals that the worthwhile goal of reform also comes with challenges. 

Check this recent news blast from local justice officials regarding a local concern . . .

Non-profit Agency Operator Indicted for Falsely Claiming to Hire Ex-Cons

KANSAS CITY, Mo. – A Kansas City, Missouri, man who operates a non-profit agency has been indicted by a federal grand jury for falsely claiming to employ convicted felons who were on federal court supervised release.

Michael A. Green, 50, was charged in a five-count indictment returned by a federal grand jury in Kansas City, Mo., on Wednesday, Nov. 17.

According to the federal indictment, Green operates Kansas City Community Source, Inc., a non-profit corporation that purports to employ convicted felons after release from incarceration. Various individuals under court-ordered supervision reported KCCS as their employer in order to fulfill their employment obligations. These individuals provided federal probation officers with paystubs purporting to indicate wage earnings from employment at KCCS. The officers subsequently called the phone number provided for KCCS to conduct employment verification. Green told the officers that the various supervisees were in fact employed by KCCS.

KCCS did not in fact employ convicted felons, the indictment alleges. Green allegedly created fictitious employment verification documents, including paystubs, and provided these to individuals under court supervision for a fee. As part of the service provided for this fee, Green allegedly responded to calls and written inquiries from the federal probation officers, and falsely verified the supervisees’ employment with KCCS.

In addition, the indictment says, Green sold fraudulent documents and identifications, including fraudulent state driver’s licenses.

Green is charged with three counts of making false statements to probation officers in relation to three separate individuals, one count of transferring a false identification document (a fraudulent driver’s license) and one count of providing false documents to a probation officer.

The charges contained in this indictment are simply accusations, and not evidence of guilt. Evidence supporting the charges must be presented to a federal trial jury, whose duty is to determine guilt or innocence.

This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew Blackwood. It was investigated by IRS-Criminal Investigation and the Kansas City, Mo., Police Department.

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