No matter what program or college you decide is right for you, you will need to have several documents ready to submit with your application(s). These documents generally include:

1. Personal Identification Documents,
2. Immunization Records, and
3. Educational Records.

We recommend that you gather these documents as early as possible in your journey.

In general, schools require prospective students to prove their identity. These personal identification documents are also necessary for applying for Financial Aid, Professional or Occupational Licenses, and much more! At minimum we recommend that you have the following documents handy:

1. Born in any of the five boroughs of New York City– You can obtain a copy of your birth certificate by mail, online, or in-person via the NYC Department of Health – Bureau of Vital Statistics:

BY MAIL: Complete a NYC Health Birth Certificate Application 

ONLINE: Order a birth certificate online through NYC Health. 

IN-PERSON: Schedule an appointment and visit the NYC Department of Health – Bureau of Vital Statistics.

2. Born in New York State– You can obtain a copy of your birth certificate by mail or online:

BY MAIL: Complete the Mail-in Application for Copy of Birth Certificate. 

ONLINE: Visit the New York State Department of Health Vital Records website to order a copy of your birth certificate online.

3. Born Out-of-State– Visit the National Center for Health Statistics to identify how to obtain a copy of your vital records.

Do you need a copy of your social security card? You can complete an Application for a Social Security Card and bring it into a Social Security Administration office near you.

State of Federal Identification Cards (ID) – Typically, schools require that you prove your identity with a valid state ID, driver’s license, or passport. If you have one of these three documents handy, great! If not, there are steps you can take to get one:

State ID or Driver’s License – You can obtain a state ID or driver’s license through the Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV). You can locate a New York State DMV here, You will need to bring the following documents with you to prove your identity. Don’t have any of these documents? View the full-list of acceptable documents:

1. U.S. birth certificate or a tribal birth certificate from a federally recognized tribe
2. U.S. military photo ID
3. Valid U.S. passport
4. Out of state REAL ID or enhanced driver’s license.

New York State law requires that all students entering college provide proof of the following immunizations: (1) two doses of the measles vaccine, (2) one does of the mumps vaccine, and (3) one does of the rubella vaccine. You will not need to include this in any college application you submit, however once you are accepted you will need to provide your school with a copy. Be sure to have this handy!

Do you have these immunizations? Great! If you don’t have a physical copy of these already, now is a good time to get them by contacting your doctor/physician.

Are you unable to obtain a copy of your immunization records, or are you not sure if you are vaccinated? No worries! You can get vaccinated by visiting a doctor or a clinic in your community.

College Immunization Record Forms. Different colleges may require you to have a doctor/physician complete an Immunization Record Form. Click here to access CUNY’s Immunization Record Form. Click here to access SUNY’s Immunization Records Form.

The types of educational records you will need to gather to apply to college will depend on which type of program or school you are applying to. At minimum, you will need an official document verifying that you completed high school or a high school equivalency degree. If you are not a not a First-time Freshman, you will also want to gather any official transcripts from other colleges or universities that you’ve attended. Additionally, some colleges also offer Credit for Prior Learning opportunities for people to earn college credits for their life experience or for participating in professional Certificate Programs or training programs. If you have any certificates gather these documents, too. All these records will enable colleges to assess your academic proficiency and potentially speed up the time it takes to complete your degree if they accept transfer credits.

Obtain a copy of your high school diploma or transcript – If you graduated from high school a copy of an official high school diploma or high school transcript will be likely be required.

If your high school is still operating – contact the high school that you graduated from to ask to determine the process for mailing official transcripts or diplomas to you. High school transcripts and diplomas are usually sent to graduates free of charge. Note: If you are trying to find a school use the NYC Department of Education’s School Finder, the Bureau of Proprietary School Supervision (BPSS) School Directory/Information, or contact the New York State Department of Education.

If you attended high school in New York State, but your high school is closed – If your high school closed and you attended high school in New York State, you can obtain a copy of your high school transcript through the New York State Education Department. Download the Student Record Request Form and follow the submission instructions on the form. Note: if your school closed more than 20 years ago you won’t be able to obtain a copy of your records using this form.

If you attended a high school in New York City, but your high school is closed – if your high school closed and you attended high school in New York City, you can obtain a copy of your high school transcript electronically, by mail, or in-person. Download NYC Department of Education Student Records Request Form and follow the submission instructions on the form. Additional instructions on how to submit this form electronically, by mail, or in-person can be found at the NYC Public Schools Requesting Student Records and Transcripts webpage.

If you earned your high school diploma or equivalent in prison or jail in New York City or New York State – if you earned your high school diploma or equivalent in prison or jail, you can obtain a copy through the New York State Department of Education. Download the Student Record Request Form and follow the submission instructions on the form. Note: a $10 money order is required for this.

Obtain copies of Official Transcripts from any colleges or universities you attended – if you you’ve attended college in the past and earned some college credits or graduated with a degree, you can earn Transfer Credits that will allow you to speed up the time it takes to earn your next degree. You can obtain official copies of your college or university transcripts by contacting the Registrar’s Office of the college you attended.

If the college or university you attended, closed – if you attended a college or university in New York State that is no longer operating, email the New York Stated Education Department’s Office of College and University Evaluation for the location of your records: ocueinfo@nysed.gov

Obtain copies of Official Transcripts from any college or university programs you attended during your incarceration – there are several colleges and universities operating college-in-prison programs. Official Transcripts from these programs are no different from transcripts from traditional college campuses. Contact your college-in-prison provider directly and work with them to obtain a copy of your official transcripts. To locate the information of a college-in-prison provider, visit the National Directory of Higher Education in Prison Programs or the New York Consortium for Higher Education in Prison Directory.

Gather any additional educational records that may make you eligible for Credit for Prior Learning opportunities – Credit for Prior Learning opportunities allow people to earn credit for college-level learning experiences that occur outside of the classroom. Some examples of ways to earn Credit for Prior Learning include the completion of college-level professional or occupational training programs, standardized exams, portfolio assessments, or other types of Certificate Programs.

1. Credit for Prior Learning at CUNY – CUNY offers several options to obtain credit for prior learning: 1) Military Training and Occupations, 2) Standardized Exams, 3) Industry Credentials, and 4) Portfolio Assessment. Visit CUNY’s Credit for Prior Learning website to learn which programs are eligible for credit, and learn about the different Credit for Prior Learning options by campus.
2. Credit for Prior Learning at SUNY – like CUNY, SUNY also offers Credit for Prior learning. Visit SUNY Empire State University’s Get Credit website; SUNY Niagara Community College’s Credit for Prior Learning website; and SUNY Oswego’s Prior Learning Assessment website to learn more about the ways that SUNY offers Credit for Prior Learning.
3. Credit for Prior Learning articulation agreements for certificate programs – some Certificate Programs have created intentional agreements with select colleges to provide pathways to different academic programs for certificate holders.

John Jay College Institute for Justice and Opportunity’s Navigator Certificate in Human Services and Community Justice (the Navigator Certificate). The Navigator Certificate prepares people with lived experience in the criminal legal system for jobs and promotions in the human services field. Students who earn the Navigator Certificate are eligible to receive up to 6 college credits if they choose to matriculate in specific academic programs at a handful of colleges and universities.

Some colleges or academic programs may require a Letter of Recommendation, also known as Reference Letters. Some require it as part of an admission application. Others require it for admission to a specific program after being admitted to the college. Some require multiple references. Others will require you to provide solely the contact information for a reference, or to provide a hard copy of the letter yourself. What, when, and how to submit a letter of recommendation will depend on which schools and programs you’re applying to.

Although you might not need a letter of recommendation at this time, it is important to give some thought to who in your personal, professional, or academic networks may be able to provide you with a letter of recommendation or reference letter. These should be individuals who can speak truthfully and meaningfully about your educational and professional skills, as well as your commitment to your education. Some tips for gathering Letters of Recommendation or References Letters:

They should be people who know you professionally – in other words, these should be individuals who have a relationship with you through employment, education, community involvement etc… Some examples include previous teachers or faculty members, academic counselors or advisors, program directors, etc… Avoid using family or friends as references, unless they also have a professional relationship to you.

Talk to your references first – it is good practice to talk to your references first about your need for a letter of recommendation and why you are asking it of them, before providing their contact information. Explain to them what your goals are and why you want them to serve as a reference.

Give your references time to prepare their letters – keep in mind that the people who you choose to provide you with a letter of recommendation or reference letter are busy, so it’s important to give them time to prepare these materials. Try to give your references 4-6 weeks to prepare the necessary documents.

Thank your references – these letters are incredibly valuable to you, and you may turn to these individuals multiple times during this journey. Thank them and let them know how much their letter means to you!

Ensure the reference contact information is accurate – double check that you have your references correct name spelling, employer and job title (if applicable), email address, and telephone number.

If you have a Conviction record, it’s good practice to understand what is on your Records of Arrest and Prosecution (RAP) Sheet because you will likely be required to undergo a background check at different points along your educational and professional journey. If you were arrested or fingerprinted in New York State, you will have a RAP sheet on file with the New York State Division of Criminal Justice Services (DCJS). However, RAP sheets often contain many mistakes that can hurt your chances of getting a job, internship, occupational license, and even a place to live. By knowing what is on your RAP sheet you can correct those errors or work with a legal services provider who can help you clean up your RAP sheet.

If you were arrested, fingerprinted, or convicted in New York State, obtain a copy of your DCJS RAP sheet – you can request a copy of a Suppressed RAP Sheet or Unsuppressed RAP Sheet from DCJS. You can request a copy of your RAP sheet on your own for a fee or by working with a trained reentry services provider, including a legal services provider. There are fees associated with obtaining copies of your RAP sheet. In order to obtain a copy of your RAP sheet, be prepared to do the following. This information can be found on the DCJS website:

1. Schedule an appointment to have your fingerprints taken and indicate whether you would like a suppressed or unsuppressed record. Visit the IdentoGO website or call 877-472-6915, and enter the code of the type of record you want to receive.
2. Bring one form of identification and a credit card, check, or money order to your appointment to pay for your fingerprinting.
3. Allow DCJS 3-4 weeks to process your request and mail you your record.
4. Review your RAP sheet to ensure it’s accurate. Look out for information about a different person, incomplete information about the case, Sealed Records, old warrants that have not be cleared.

If your case was in federal court, obtain a copy of your RAP sheet through the FBI – you can request a copy of your identity history summary check, also known as a RAP sheet, from the FBI online, mail or through an FBI-approved channeler, for a fee. For more information visit the More FBI Services and Information website:

Review your RAP sheet to ensure it’s accurate. Look out for information about a different person, incomplete information about the case, Sealed Records, old warrants that have not be cleared. If there are errors on your FBI RAP sheet you can submit a change request or correction here: https://www.edo.cjis.gov/#/. 

Determine if you’re eligible for record sealing or for Certificates of Rehabilitation – depending on your Conviction type, the number of convictions you have, and the time since your last conviction, you may be eligible to seal your conviction records and/or eligible various types of Certificates of Rehabilitation.

1. Eligibility for Record Sealing – Record sealing keeps specifics about conviction record confidential from the public.
2. Eligibility for Certificates of Rehabilitation – Certificates of Rehabilitation remove any mandatory bars to licensure or employment for people with conviction records. There are two types of Certificates of Rehabilitation: Certificate of Relief from Disabilities and Certificate of Good Conduct.

Connect with a reentry services or legal services provider – if you need support obtaining a copy of your RAP sheet, determining if you’re eligible for certificates of relief or record sealing, or need help cleaning up your RAP sheet, it’s a good idea to connect with a reentry service or a legal services provider. Below are ways to get connected with a provider:

1. One on One Legal Services for current and prospective CUNY Students – If you a John Jay College Institute for Justice and Opportunity program participant or are a CUNY student with a conviction you can receive free one-on-one legal services from Community Services Society. If you are interested in receiving legal services complete this form: https://www.tfaforms.com/4963379.
2. Additional reentry and legal services providers – a number of organizations across New York State and New York City can provide you with legal help, RAP sheet clean up, and record sealing.

Making the decision to pursue an education is a huge step, but figuring out what you want to study, which school to attend, and how to pay for it can be overwhelming. To help you make these decision(s) there are three things you should consider: the program of study, the educational institution type, and the cost.

There are many academic and Certificate Programs to choose from to prepare you for your desired jobs and careers. There are a couple of steps you can take to help you get started.

Create a list of jobs and careers you might want to pursue – to get started, consider asking yourself the following questions. Your answers to these questions may indicate which professional fields you may be interested. Write them down:

1. What skills, training, and job experience do you already have?
2. What activities do you enjoy? Do you enjoy spending time with people, building things, playing sports, writing, creating?
3. What are you good at? What do you do well?

Find out as much as you can about the jobs and careers on your list – begin doing some research on the jobs and careers you are interested in. There are several resources you can explore to find information on different types of jobs and professional fields:

1. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) Occupational Outlook Handbook (OOH) – the OOH provides comprehensive information about occupational/career cluster groups, education requirements, potential earnings, and activities.
2. The New York State Department of Labor – provides New York State specific information about the labor-market.

Determine if there are any employment barriers for the jobs and careers that you are interested in – although there are no blanket bans on employment opportunities based having a conviction record, certain jobs may require an Professional or Occupational Licenses that may restrict you from pursuing a particular job or profession. Educate yourself, talk with a legal expert, academic or career counselor about your interests and explore any potential barriers. A good place to start is to review any professional and occupational licensing requirements:

1. Getting to Work with a Criminal Record: New York State Licenses Guides 2020 Expanded Edition. The John Jay College New York State License Guides provide an overview of the process, requirement, and restrictions for obtaining a professional and occupational license in 25 professions.
2. Visit the New York State Department of Education’s Office of the Professions – if there are jobs and careers that you are interested that are not listed in the guide, visit the New York State Licensed Professions webpage to receive profession-specific information.

Gather information on academic programs – after you determine what careers you’re interested in and what type of education you need to pursue that career, you can begin identifying which programs you need to pursue and which schools offer them. Some things to consider when making these decision include:

1. Location – is the program offered at a college that is close to home? What does the commute to the school look like? If the college is not close, is the program offered online/remote? Is this a good option for me?
2. Type of degree – what type of degree are they offering? Is it the degree type you need? Do you meet the eligibility requirements for the program? Or do you need some additional study?
3. Type of educational institution – is it a public college or a private college? How big is the school?

After you’ve made some decisions about which programs of study you want to pursue and which schools offer the credentials you are looking for, you will need to spend some time considering the educational institution type. Different types of educational institutions offer different degrees, and the Cost of Attendance at each institution varies.

Private, non-profit colleges and universities – private non-profit colleges and universities offer a variety of degrees types, however the cost of attending these types of institutions can be high. You will likely need to pay for your tuition and fees using a combination of your own money, grants, scholarships, and/or loans. Some examples of private colleges and universities include Syracuse University, Columbia University, New York University.

Private, for-profit college and universities – like private non-profit and universities, the tuition can be high, however they generally do not operate in the interest of students. For example, they offer degrees and credentials that are often not recognized by employers and classes that do not transfer to other institutions. In some cases, these institutions may not be Accredited Colleges and Universities.

Public college and universities – these are colleges and universities that receive funding from the state or city to provide a quality education at an affordable price. Because tuition and fees are generally lower at these institutions, students can use federal and state aid to pay for their education, and take out smaller loans than they may at a private non-profit or for-profit college. Like private colleges, public colleges and universities offer a variety of degrees. In New York State, public colleges and universities are governed by the City University of New York (CUNY) or the State University of New York (SUNY).

Community colleges/two-year colleges – community colleges, also known as two-year colleges, generally offer Associate Degrees, Certificate Programs, and other career and technical education programs. Tuition at these institutions is lower than senior colleges/four-year colleges. Additionally, the admissions requirements and deadlines at these colleges are more relaxed. Associate degrees take on average 2-3 years to complete. Certificate, career and technical education programs vary.

Senior colleges/four-year colleges – senior colleges, also known as four-year colleges, can offer a variety of degrees including Associate Degrees, Baccalaureate Degrees, and graduate or professional degrees. Tuition at these institutions is higher than community colleges. Bachelor’s degrees take on average 4-6 years to complete. Graduate and professional degrees vary.

Graduate schools – after you’ve completed an undergraduate degree, you may need to pursue a graduate degree that offers increased specialization in a field of study. These include Master Degrees, Doctoral Degrees, or professional degrees i.e., juris doctorate/law degree. Duration of programs vary. Some programs are ineligible for federal or state grants, but they tend to offer Scholarships, Fellowships, and Federal Loans.

Making decisions around the steps you want to take to pursue an education and career is time-consuming and overwhelming, but there are community-based support programs that intentionally provide educational and employment related serves to support you along the way. And many of these programs are designed specifically for people with conviction records.

The John Jay College Institute for Justice and Opportunity – is a center at John Jay College/CUNY that offers educational programs in prisons and in the community for people with conviction records who are currently enrolled or thinking about enrolling in college. They offer academic counseling, career counseling, legal services, and much more!

The New York Public Library – the New York Public Library publishes an annual guide, Connections, to connect people with conviction records for reentry resources.

Community Justice Reentry Network – the New York City’s Mayor’s Office of Criminal Justice launched a reentry initiative to connect people released from prison to a variety of support services.

After you’ve submitted your admissions application, you will need to make a plan for how you are going to pay for your education. If you are unable to pay for your education out-of-pocket, like most college students, you can apply for Financial Aid to pay for your education. Financial aid can come from federal grants and loans; state-based grants, awards, and scholarships; other forms of scholarships; and private loans.

The federal government, through its U.S. Department of Education, provides support to college students to help pay for their education. This support can come in the form of grants and loans. Eligibility for federal grants and loans are based on financial need. The U.S. Department of Education sponsors several grant and loan programs and can be found on their website. The most common federal grants and loans include Pell Grants, Direct Subsidized Loans, Direct Unsubsidized Loans, and Direct PLUS Loans. To apply for federal grants and loans, you must complete a Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). Click here for details on how to complete a FAFSA application.

Federal Grants – The U.S. Department of Education sponsors several grant programs. The most common federal grant is the Pell Grant. Pell Grants are a form of financial aid provided to undergraduate students who have not yet earned a bachelor’s, graduate, or professional degree, who display exceptional financial aid. Other federal grant programs include the Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant (FSEOG) and the Teacher Education Assistance for College and Higher Education (TEACH) Grant.

Federal Loans – The U.S. Department of Education sponsors several federal student loan programs, each with specific eligibility criteria. Some are for undergraduate education only, others loans are for undergraduate and graduate study. These programs include Direct Unsubsidized Loans, Direct Subsidized Loans, and Direct PLUS Loans.

Like the federal government, state governments also provide financial aid to college students to help pay for their education. New York State offers grants, awards, and scholarship program to New York State residents. These programs include the Tuition Assistance Program (TAP), the Excelsior Scholarship, and many others. New York State programs are combined with federal programs to bring down the cost of attending college.

New York State Grants – New York State offers several types of grant programs for eligible college-going New Yorkers. These programs are managed by the New York State Higher Education Services Corporation (HESC). Grant programs include TAP, Part-Time TAP, NYS DREAM Act TAP Applicants, and NYS Aid for Part-Time Study. Click here for a list of NYS grant programs. You can apply for NYS grant programs like TAP after completing your FAFSA application.

New York State Scholarship & Award Programs – In addition to grants, New York State offers several types of scholarship programs, each with different eligibility criteria. The most common scholarship program is the Excelsior Scholarship, which covers tuition for SUNY and CUNY students whose families earn less than $125,000 per year. Other examples of NYS scholarships and awards include the NYS World Trader Center Memorial Scholarship, the NYS Part-Time Scholarship (PTS) award, and others. Click here for a list of NYS scholarship and award programs.

Other Scholarships

In addition to the federal and state grant and scholarship programs, scholarships may also be available through your college, private foundations, or community-based organizations. Each scholarship has specific eligibility criteria. There are a couple of different ways to find scholarships:

1. Check out your college’s scholarship website – most colleges have a scholarship office where their students can identify and receive support applying for specific scholarships. Find out if your college has a scholarship center or check with their financial aid office. For a list of CUNY college scholarship offices click here.
2. Visit CollegeScholarships.org –collegescholarships.org is a website that houses scholarship opportunities across the United States.

Private loans are nonfederal loans distributed from a private lender, like a bank or federal credit union. Some of the most common private student loan lenders include Sallie Mae and Ascent. The terms and conditions, i.e., repayment terms and interest rates, are set by the lender. Private loans generally have higher interest rates and may require a credit check. It is best to exhaust federal loan options first, before seeking a private student loan.

Paying for your education via loans can get pricey. Loan forgiveness programs are available to have part of, or all your loans, forgiven, in exchange for performing a qualified service for a period. For example, working in public service for 10 years. Loan forgiveness programs are offered through the federal and state government.

Federal loan forgiveness programs – the most common federal loan forgiveness program is the Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) program. In order to be eligible, participants must be employed by a government or non-profit organization and made 120 qualifying payments on qualifying loans. There are several other federal loan forgiveness programs. Review the U.S. Department of Education’s Federal Student Aid website to learn more.

New York State loan forgiveness programs – New York State also offers a number of loan forgiveness programs to qualifying New York residents. Visit the Higher Education Services Corporation (HESC) website to learn more.

If you’ve attended college in the past, have taken out student loans, and haven’t followed the terms of your loan repayment, your loans may be in default. If you have a student loan in default, you may be ineligible or restricted from receiving financial aid. If this applies to you, don’t worry! There are things you can do to rehabilitate your loan(s) – get your loan out of default – and restore your eligibility for financial aid.

Check out the John Jay College Institute for Justice and Opportunity’s Back to School Guide – the Back to School Guide offers steps and recommendations for getting student loans rehabilitated.

Fresh Start Program – the Fresh Start Program is a one-time temporary program from the U.S. Department of Education for borrowers with student loans in default. If you have federal loans in default, you may be eligible for Fresh Start.

Joining an opportunity program on your campus is a great way to receive individualized support, mentorship, and develop strong social networks while you’re enrolled in college. Each campus offers different programs, and each with its own predetermined set of eligibility criteria. There is no exhaustive list of college opportunity programs, but some university systems like CUNY and SUNY have programs that exist at each of their campuses. Below are some of the most common opportunity programs at CUNY and SUNY.

CUNY Opportunity Programs – CUNY offers a variety of support programs with different eligibility criteria. Among the most common support programs are: College Discovery/SEEK; TRiO programs; CUNY Black Male Initiative (BMI); and ASAP/ACE.

SUNY Support Programs – Each SUNY campus operates an Educational Opportunity Program (EOP).

Each campus also offers a variety of support services to meet the needs of its diverse student body. Different services are designed to meet to needs to specific populations of students. Some services are available to all students enrolled at that campus. Below are some of the most common support services you can find on most college campuses:

Disability and Accessibility Services – if you have a disability, your campus can provide you with comprehensive services including accommodations, counseling, and assistive technology services. Visit the CUNY Disability and Accessibility Services website to learn CUNY’s Accessibility Services.

Veteran Services – if you are a U.S. veteran you may be eligible for various types of education benefits, and counseling and advocacy services. Visit the CUNY Veterans Affairs website to learn more about CUNY’s Veteran Services.

Counseling and Mental Health Services – all college students can receive free counseling and mental health services to cope with any psychological or emotional distress they experience while enrolled in college. Visit CUNY’s Mental Health Services website to learn more about CUNY’s Counseling and Mental Health Services.

Career Services – all college students can receive free career services support to help them prepare for and secure employment. Services include but are not limited to resume and cover letter writing support, career counseling, and employer referrals. Visit CUNY’s Career Services website to learn more about CUNY’s Career Services at each of its campuses.

Internships and Fellowships are experiential learning opportunities, where students are able to obtain hands-on professional experience in a particular industry or job sector. Depending on your academic program, you may be required to obtain an internship, also known as field experience, in order to meet your degree requirements. Even if your program does not require an internship or field experience, you may want to consider applying for an internship or fellowship program as they are good opportunities to build your resume and skillset.

Internships are opportunities for students to gain a specific set of skills and experience in a specific field or organization. These opportunities are generally unpaid, although some are paid, and are seen as opportunities that may lead to future employment.

Like internships, fellowships also help students gain a specific set of skills and professional experience in a specific field or organization but they are geared towards professional development and academic research; there is an intentional academic component. Most fellowships are based on merit and providing funding support to students. Fellowships can be extremely competitive.

In the United States, blank bans on employment opportunities are illegal. However, New York State and New York City offer further legal protections for New Yorkers with conviction records seeking employment and professional or occupational licensure.

New York Corrections Law Article 23-A – provides legal protections for New Yorkers by preventing New York State employers or licensing agencies from denying employment and professional licensure based solely on an applicant’s conviction record. The employer or agency can only be denied employment after conducting an 8-step analysis to determine whether your conviction record directly relates to the job or license.

New York State Human Rights Law – this law makes it illegal for public and private employers in New York State to ask about arrests that did not lead to a conviction including: dismissed, Adjourned in Contemplation of Dismissals (ACD), Youthful Offender Adjudication, and a Juvenile Delinquency. Additionally, employers cannot inquire about Sealed Convictions.

New York City Fair Chance Act – in addition to the legal protections provided by Article 23-A and the New York State Human Rights Law, the New York City Fair Chance Act makes it illegal for most employers in New York City to inquire about a conviction record or conduct a background check on a prospective employee until a conditional job offer has been made.

If you need support understanding your rights in New York State or New York City or believe you have experience employment discrimination because of your conviction record, it is best you work with a legal services provider:

1. One-on-One Legal Services for current and prospective CUNY Students – If you a John Jay College Institute for Justice and Opportunity program participant or are a CUNY student with a conviction you can receive free one-on-one legal services from Community Services Society. If you are interested in receiving legal services complete this form: INSERT HYPERLINK
2. Additional reentry and legal services providers – a number of organizations across New York State and New York City can provide you with legal help.
3. New York City Commission on Human Rights – the New York City Commission on Human Rights is charged with enforcing the Human Rights Law and can help determine if you’ve been illegal discriminated against.

In addition to understanding your legal protections, it is also good practice to obtain and understand what is on your RAP sheet. By reviewing your RAP sheet you will be able to determine if there are any mistakes on your RAP sheet or if any of your records could be sealed. Visit the Obtain and Understand What is on Your RAP Sheet section to learn how to obtain and clean up your RAP sheet.

Professional portfolios generally include but are not limited to a Resume, cover letter, and a LinkedIn page. It’s good practice to have a resume and template cover letter available.

If you haven’t put together a resume or cover letter, now is a good time to create one. If you already have these, now is a good time to update it!

LinkedIn is a professional networking social media platform that allows you to connect with professionals and apply for jobs! Joining LinkedIn is free. Consider creating an account.

It is good practice to collect Evidence of Rehabilitation or “proof of positive change.” These are documents you can show to employers, schools, landlords, or government agencies to highlight your accomplishments since your arrest/conviction/incarceration. You will also need to gather these documents to apply for Certificates of Rehabilitation.

Certificates of Rehabilitation, like the Certificate of Relief from Disabilities and the Certificate of Good Conduct, generally remove any mandatory bars to licensure or employment for people with conviction records. Therefore, it is useful to obtain them in advance of starting your job search.

There are a number of resources available to you to help you determine your eligibility for a Certificate of Rehabilitation and how to apply for them. Check out Getting the Record Straight: A Guide for Navigating Background Checks, and Lowering conviction Record Barrier: Certificates of Relief from Disabilities and Certificates of Good Conduct. 

Connect with a legal service provider – a number of organizations across New York State and New York City can help you apply for Certificates of Rehabilitation. Check out Getting the Record Straight: A Guide for Navigating Background Checks.

Although there are legal protections in place to prevent employment discrimination based on your conviction history, you will likely have to undergo a Background Check at some point. There are number of things you should consider and do to prepare for when you will undergo a background check(s).

When should you disclose that you have a conviction? It’s not easy to decide when you should talk about your conviction record. Although most employers are prohibited by law from inquiring about your conviction record and you are not required to disclose your conviction history, there may be incidents when you choose to disclose. For example, if job requires working with people impacted by the criminal legal system. See Getting the Record Straight: A Guide to Navigating Background Checks to learn more about when you should disclose your conviction.

What should you disclose about your conviction record? If you do decide to disclose your conviction record or you have undergone a background check, it is important to not say too much and not to say too little. You want to provide enough information so that the decision-maker has a basic understanding of your convictions. Stick to the basics of the conviction, the incident, and the sentence. See Getting the Record Straight: A Guide to Navigating Background Checks for examples of what you should and should not disclose.

Review every background check – background checks often contain errors therefore, it is important that these errors don’t stand in the way of you and a potential employment opportunity. See Getting the Record Straight: A Guide to Navigating Background Checks for what you should look for every time a background check is conducted.

Tell your story and focus on what you’ve accomplished since– putting the information about your conviction record in the context of your life, and highlighting what you’ve accomplished since is helpful for decision-makers. See Getting the Record Straight: A Guide to Navigating Background Checks for how to tell your story.

Practice talking about your conviction record – pull all these pieces together into a worksheet to help you practice talking about your conviction record. See Getting the Record Straight: A Guide to Navigating Background Checks for a sample worksheet and blank worksheet.