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September 18, 2007

ACLU: New criminal law may hurt college applicants

The Rhode Island affiliate of the American Civil Liberties Union says a new state law that treats 17-year-olds as adults for criminal justice purposes could also keep some students from getting into college.

That’s because prospective students with state or federal drug convictions are ineligible for federal grants, loans or work study programs for one year to life under Section 483 of the federal Higher Education Act.

In a letter to the state Board of Governors for Higher Education, the local ACLU’s Executive Director Steven Brown argues that for the first time here, applicants with drug convictions at age 17 would not be eligible for federal college financial aid. Before the law, such matters were handled in Family Court.

In a letter sent today, Brown, a sharp critic of the new law from the start, asked the Board to veer from the federal policy, saying financial aid offices in more than a dozen other states do so.

He also requested the board speak out at a state Senate panel hearing tomorrow against charging 17-year-olds as adults.

The letter also encouraged the higher education board to contact the General Assembly leadership to urge the repeal of Article 22. Brown said the ACLU has made a similar request to college and university presidents.

Posted by Brandie Jefferson  at 3:00 PM | Permalink

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