FORSYTH COUNTY -- A project to help people get jobs, regardless of their criminal history, is already in place in several places across the state and there's a push to bring it to Forsyth County.

'Ban the Box' aims to give people a second chance by eliminating questions about prior criminal convictions from the job application process just because they check the box that indicates they have a criminal record.

Project leader with All God's Children Ministry, Lisa Sykes says, "We're looking at it as a racial issue, because African Americans and Latinos are imprisoned at such a higher rate than their proportion in the population, they're then being affected by not being able to get work when they get out."

'Ban the Box' is a nationwide initiative that started, for North Carolina, in Durham. With a huge success rate in the triangle, city leaders say its time to get counties in the triad on board.

Sykes proposed the project to Forsyth County Commissioners Thursday.

Vice Chairman on the Forsyth County Board of Commissioners, Don Martin, says,"There are times when you are ready to employ someone, there are times when you'll do background screenings. Those type of things are going to happen anyway. So I don't think anyone should be screened out just because of a prior conviction."

There is no word yet on when commissioners will vote on the proposal.