“[It's] what you do after the mistake that counts”: Positive employment credentials, criminal record stigma, and potential pathways of mediation

Abstract

issuetoc.We would like to thank Jody Miller and three anonymous reviewers for their insightful comments, suggestions, and helpful recommendations for an earlier version of the article.

How to overcome the cost of a criminal record for getting hired

“…For example, we cannot ascertain to what extent the impact of wage is the result of employers simply responding to the financial incentive, or whether the lower wage generated positive signals about the applicant. Even though studies are already elucidating some of the mechanisms underlying credential signaling (Denver & DeWitt, 2022), future scholarship could expand on these efforts. Our findings regarding wage are also limited because we did not directly indicate the mechanism through which wage would be reduced (e.g., through a subsidy, tax credit, internship, or negotiation).…”

“…Horkan (1993, p. 517) argued that a reference is "one of the most, and sometimes the most, valuable source of information about prospective employees" as it "assist[s] in sensible hiring decisions and combat[s] misrepresentations made by dishonest applicants." Thus, positive references serve as a signal of a job applicant's trustworthiness and productivity (Denver & DeWitt, 2022;Denver & Ewald, 2018). Despite the purported importance of references, few updated studies have explored their relevance.…”

“…Few studies have evaluated the effect of experience on employers' WTH applicants with a criminal history. In fact, studies of employment often hold experience/skill constant or simply indicate that the applicant is sufficiently qualified for the position (Batastini et al, 2017;Denver & DeWitt, 2022;DeWitt & Denver, 2020;Pager, 2003Pager, , 2007Reich, 2017). Among studies that focused on experience, Varghese et al (2010) examined the effect of "qualifications" on WTH among a student sample.…”

“…Positive job market signals can include (but are not limited to) common job requirements such as education, references, and work experience. Positive credentials, however, can carry different messages with varying effects (Denver & DeWitt, 2022). This study investigates the effects of three specific types of credentials (i.e., education, references, and work experience) on employers’ WTH applicants with a criminal record.…”

Privacy, promotionalism and the proliferation of state-performed criminal record screening in the Netherlands: How a restrictive legal framework can still result in a steep increase of criminal background checks

“…In the literature, the Dutch model of criminal background screening for employment purposes, run exclusively by a single state entity, is perceived to be better equipped to strike a fair balance between, on the one hand, the interests of employers (being fairly one-sidedly oriented towards increasing profits and avoiding risks) and, on the other hand, anti-discrimination and rehabilitation of individuals with a criminal background, a societal goal that goes beyond business necessities (Bushway and Kalra, 2021). Government agencies are considered to be better equipped to protect society against safety threats than employers (Larrauri, 2014), as they apply a standardised and consistent assessment process and a rational approach that typically demonstrates a higher risk tolerance (Denver and DeWitt, 2023; Lageson et al, 2015). Also, state powers infringing on the liberties of people with a criminal record are governed by a strict proportionality principle (Meijer, 2019) which allows for increased employment opportunities for individuals with a criminal record (Kurlychek et al, 2019).…”