Many employers will not consider hiring individuals with criminal records for a variety of reasons - legal restrictions, tight labor markets, concern about trustworthiness, or fear of being held liable. However, there are employers willing to hire individuals who have been incarcerated, and some industries are particularly welcoming to this population. According to the National H.I.R.E. Network, the industries most open to hiring people with criminal histories are services, manufacturing, construction, commercial food, distribution, and some transportation. Entry-level positions that require limited education but may emphasize ability and performance over criminal histories are available in the restaurant, warehouse, and production industries. Customer service, sales, and clerical positions may offer similarly appropriate starting points. The challenge for the workforce development practitioner is to determine which businesses and industries in a locality may be willing to hire people with criminal records, to develop relationships with them, and to support them so that they begin or increase such hires.

Example: Offender Re-Entry Program, Suffolk County House of Correction (MA)

Among other supportive employment services, job counselors with the Offender Re-entry Program provide intensive job placement assistance to people who are incarcerated in Suffolk County. Over time, job counselors have developed the ability to steer individuals to real employment opportunities - industries and companies that are open to hiring people released from prison or jail - and away from industries that because of statute, administrative regulation, insurance requirements, or bias exclude individuals with criminal histories.

Example: Ex-Felon Employment Initiative, San Francisco District Attorney's Office and National Economic Development and Law Center (CA)

The San Francisco District Attorney's Office partnered with the National Economic Development and Law Center (NEDLC) in a project to move first-time, low-level drug dealers into employment and away from the courts and the streets. In its research, NEDLC found that special trade construction and social services were the two industries most accessible to people with felony convictions. This research culminated in a report on the findings and recommended strategies, and the report was presented to employers, people with felony convictions, government and justice system representatives, training providers, and other community stakeholders.