The Permanent Record

By ERINMA ONYEWUCHI ‘20

In applications for schools and jobs, requests for criminal history often surface, and frequently, this criminal history can make or break the application. Criminal history, in theory, demonstrates the moral standing of an applicant. However, in reality, criminal history simply indicates the police presence in one’s area. That is to say that the notorious “criminal history” question is a skewed indicator that disproportionately affects low income communities. What are deemed “petty” crimes in higher income communities are often translate into offenses that follow young children in low income communities into adulthood. These offenses present the same children with roadblocks in applying to private institutions and jobs down the line. Ultimately, what separates a child in a low income neighborhood from their rich counterpart is that only one of them gets caught. 

On October 25th, a 19-year-old had guns drawn on him by multiple New York police officers as he sat on a subway train. This incident was a part of the string of arrests for fare evasion, that occurred with increased ‘crackdown’ by NYPD officers this past June, a majority of these crackdowns taking place in low income neighborhoods. In recent weeks, an increasing number of videos have surfaced of teenagers being arrested, held at gunpoint, and beaten by police officers for not paying $2.75 to get to work or school. Additionally, the fine for fare evasion in New York is $100: an overwhelming cost for those who are not able to pay the original fare. Above all, plenty of teenagers in low income neighborhoods walk away from these incidents with spotted records or a “criminal history” from the unjust arrests. 

Equity discourse often focuses on creating a level playing field during application processes, and while these initiatives are important, there is inequity happening before people even reach application age. Fare evasion crackdowns require the city to pay NYPD for increased presence. This money could be used instead for an ‘aid’ system for low income commuters. Giving young people criminal records not only creates inequity in future endeavors but also criminalizes poverty in the process. The question, ‘Do you have any criminal history to report?’ makes for a very long story to which, unfortunately, few institutions will look into beyond the box checked ‘yes.’