Breaking Down Barriers: Experiments into Policies That Might Incentivize Employers to Hire Ex-Offenders

Hunt, Priscillia; Smart, Rosanna; Jonsson, Lisa; Tsang, Flavia

doi:10.7249/rr2142

Cited by 9 publications

(23 citation statements)

References 48 publications

(67 reference statements)

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“…Although our results point to a supportive reference letter being considerably powerful, it is unclear how realistic it would be to expect individuals with criminal histories to have this credential upon leaving prison or shortly afterward. Researchers at RAND (Hunt et al 2018) found similar results in their survey of employers—namely, a post-conviction certificate that verifies work performance history can increase hiring willingness by 37 percent to 53 percent. This seems to place an individual with a criminal record in a “catch-22” scenario (Maruna 2009); if an employer is less likely to hire an applicant without informal (reference letter) or formal (post-conviction certificate) documentation supporting their post-incarceration work history, how can applicants obtain the credential in the first place?…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 78%

“…Similarly, the same credential may not be viewed as equally valuable depending on perceived baseline risk. Employers tend to report heightened concern with violent felonies compared to nonviolent felonies (Hunt et al 2018; Pager 2007). Similarly, policy reforms disproportionately alleviate punishment severity for those with nonviolent, nonserious, and nonsexual offenses (Gottschalk 2015).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…First, both of the convictions referenced an 18-month prison sentence, and the two crime types tend to yield roughly similar median prison sentences (BJS 2013). Second, prior research indicates respondents have more negative reactions to violent convictions relative to other conviction types (Denver, Pickett, and Bushway 2017; Holzer et al 2007; Hunt et al 2018; Pager 2007), which could result in meaningful differences when evaluating positive credentials.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

See 2 more Smart Citations

Criminal Records, Positive Employment Credentials, and Race

DeWitt

Denver

2019

Journal of Research in Crime and Delinquency

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Objectives: To assess the impact of positive credentials on perceptions of individuals with criminal records and whether the effects of credentials differ by the type of conviction or the criminal record holder’s race. Methods: We present fictional job applicant details to a nationwide survey of American adults ( n = 5,822) using a factorial design. We manipulate whether the job applicant is Black or White and has a criminal record or not. Among those randomly assigned to have a criminal record, we also vary the type of felony (violent or drug), whether they report a positive credential, and the type of credential (if applicable). Results: Among those with criminal records, respondents viewed applicants with positive credentials more favorably than those without credentials. In fact, a supportive reference letter from a former employer mitigates most of the stigma from a criminal record. The results are consistent by applicant race as well as criminal record type, and our employer respondents react similarly to experimental conditions as compared to the overall sample. Conclusions: Our results suggest that the inclusion of positive credentials can help reduce criminal record stigma and aid in the normification process.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 78%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Criminal Records, Positive Employment Credentials, and Race

DeWitt

Denver

2019

Journal of Research in Crime and Delinquency

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“…People with criminal records can better manage stigma in the labor market by signaling criminal desistance and employability via positive credentials (Bushway & Apel, 2012; Wright, 2020), such as professional references, certificates of rehabilitation, and educational and work credentials (Cherney & Fitzgerald, 2016; DeWitt & Denver, 2020; Hunt et al., 2018; Leasure & Andersen, 2019; Maruna, 2001; Reich, 2017). These positive credentials act as “disidentifiers,” allowing applicants with criminal records to appear more credible, defy criminal stereotypes, and signal positive information to reduce the chance of employment discrimination (Goffman, 1963; Spence, 1973).…”

Section: Stigma Management and Prison Credentialsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Damned if you do, damned if you don't: How formerly incarcerated men navigate the labor market with prison credentials*

Lindsay

2022

Criminology

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Although employment is central to successful reentry, formerly incarcerated people struggle to find work because of criminal stigma, poor education, and sparse work histories. Prison credentials are proposed as one solution to alleviate these challenges by signaling criminal desistance and employability. Evidence regarding their efficacy, however, is inconsistent. In this article, I develop a novel explanation—the prison credential dilemma—highlighting the numerous and contradictory ways employers may interpret prison credentials as positive and negative signals. Drawing on 50 qualitative interviews with formerly incarcerated men in Franklin County, Ohio, I examine how the prison credential dilemma and the uncertainty it produces shape their job search strategies and pathways to employment. I find that participants concealed or obscured institutional affiliations of prison credentials on job applications to signal employability rather than their criminal records. In job interviews, however, prison credentials were used to divert conversations away from their criminal record toward skills and criminal desistance via the use of redemptive narratives. Participants also attempted to acquire credentials outside of prison and/or pursued temporary, precarious jobs, aspiring for such physically strenuous and poorly paid work to materialize into stable employment. This study has implications for prison programming as well as policies and practices aiming to improve reentry outcomes.

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“…Figuring out why employers are reluctant to hire people with criminal records, then finding ways to address their concerns, is likely to be a more effective strategy to improving outcomes for this group without unintentionally hurting disadvantaged groups without records. Doleac (2016) and Hunt et al (2018) provide guidance on this front.…”

Section: Ban the Boxmentioning

confidence: 99%

Strategies to Productively Reincorporate the Formerly-Incarcerated into Communities: A Review of the Literature

Doleac

2018

SSRN Journal

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Breaking Down Barriers: Experiments into Policies That Might Incentivize Employers to Hire Ex-Offenders

Cited by 9 publications

References 48 publications

Criminal Records, Positive Employment Credentials, and Race

Criminal Records, Positive Employment Credentials, and Race

Damned if you do, damned if you don't: How formerly incarcerated men navigate the labor market with prison credentials*

Strategies to Productively Reincorporate the Formerly-Incarcerated into Communities: A Review of the Literature

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