The Trenton Times published the following article on April 28, 2013. To read the full article, click here.

Editorial: From Trenton gangster to champion boxer, a fight for redemption provides tale of hope

By Times of Trenton Editorial Board 
on April 28, 2013 at 6:06 AM, updated April 28, 2013 at 6:21 AM

Had Michael Hilton continued on his original path, prowling the streets of Trenton with other gangsters, he might now be dead.

But after serving time in jail, he found a guide and a mentor who coached his combative instincts into the athleticism of a boxer. And Hilton embarked on a higher road.

Times staffer Paul Franklin profiled Hilton last week, telling the inspiring story of a young man who turned his back on drug-hazed illusions of power for the discipline and definition of the ring.

The fighter known as “The Beast” this month won the heavyweight division in the U.S.A. Boxing National Championships, Franklin reported. Hilton, who plans on fighting in international tournaments this spring, may turn pro by the end of the year.

“He went from admiring guys in his weight class throughout the country, to sparring those guys and then actually beating them,’’ said his coach Eric Judkins. ”He went from looking at the list to being No. 1 on the list.’’

At that pinnacle of accomplishment, however, Hilton has not forgotten those still struggling in Trenton to resist the lure of the gangs, the drugs and guns.

“I know a lot of people on the streets right now who want to change,” Hilton says. “But they say, ‘We don’t have the opportunities.’ I really want to help those types of people. Everybody deserves another chance.”

New Jersey lawmakers have an opportunity to assist Hilton in that goal. A measure expected to be introduced next month – in the Assembly by Bonnie Watson Coleman (D-Mercer) — would help level the working field for those who have broken the law, paid for their crimes and now want to become contributing members of society.

But those convicted of a crime face an added hurdle — “the box” that now must be checked on an employment form by applicants who have a record.

Even if the offense was a minor one, for underage drinking perhaps, it can be a red flag for employers and an automatic “no” to an otherwise qualified job candidate.

The “Ban the Box” initiative, already adopted in scores of cities and states, would allow job applicants to wait until further in the interview process to disclose any criminal infractions.

It would not apply to convictions for murder, attempted murder, arson-related crimes, an offense requiring sex offender registry, or terrorism-related offenses.

But it would provide an equal shot at a job that could be the first step toward the kind of redemption Michael Hilton experienced with all his hard work and dedication.

This discriminatory policy denies those sincerely trying to turn their lives around the chance to work, to provide for themselves and their families, by knocking them out of the running before they can even show what they’ve got.

We urge lawmakers to “ban the box.”