Target, faced with what some might view as a sack of lemons, has decided to make lemonade.

Based in Minneapolis, the huge retailer would have been subject to a new state law that requires companies to delete the "criminal history" check box on job applications. Instead of complaining or merely quietly complying, Target decided to create a national campaign to get more states to eliminate the criminal history box.

For years, standard employment applications have included a line item or box that asks applicants whether they have a criminal history and, frequently, requests further details. Opponents of "the box" claim that it usually leads to an application being rerouted to the trash.