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Felony Question Banned In Detroit

Detroit joined Boston and dozens of other cities across the country by "banning the box." City Council members Thursday voted to remove the felony conviction question from applications for city employment.

The ordinance was sponsored by Councilmen Kwame Kenyatta and Ken Cockrel.

"Now, this is an opportunity for hope. They can get up, get dressed and go get a job -- put on a shirt and tie or turn around until you get it right like Wonder Woman and Superman did,"  said John Cromer, an ex-felon who had supported the ordinance.

"Get out there and sell your skills and your abilities, and show those people that all those tax dollars that they spent to rehabilitate us -- that they worked," he said.

Applicants can still be questioned about their criminal past during the interview process but supporters of the law say at least people won't be rejected without a chance to explain their past.

(Copyright 2010 by WWJ Radio.  All Rights Reserved.)

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