The Effect of an Applicant's Criminal History on Employer Hiring Decisions and Screening Practices

According to this 2001 survey of Los Angeles employers , employers are mostly unwilling to hire formerly incarcerated people. Employer willingness to hire a formerly incarcerated person also depends on different factors: type of crime, time since release, past work experience, and type of job/industry. The study also finds that employers conducting background checks increased during the 1990s, partially influenced by the increased legal obligation, or perceived obligation, to do so.

Holzer, H. J., Raphael, S., & Stoll, M. A. (2004). The Effect of an Applicant’s Criminal History on Employer Hiring Decisions and Screening Practices: New Evidence from Los Angeles. Barriers to Reentry? The Labor Market for Released Prisoners in Post-Industrial America, 04(15). https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Michael_Stoll/publication/228628422_The_effect_of_an_applicant's_criminal_history_on_employer_hiring_decisions_and_screening_practices_Evidence_from_Los_Angeles/links/0912f50d0ad57462a0000000.pdf