The first time I heard the term “ban the box,” I thought it might be the catchphrase of activists campaigning against the use of solitary confinement in prisons. But while curbing the use of solitary is a laudable goal, and one shared by most of those who support “banning the box,” the term has become a rallying cry for those seeking to help offenders once they leave prison.

“Ban the box” is a campaign to end the requirement that job applicants check a box on their applications if they have a criminal record. On Monday, President Obama announced a new directive instructing the Office of Personnel Management to delay criminal background checks for all federal and federally contracted jobs until later in the application process.