About the Report The Report, Part II: Review of the Re-Entry Process:

chapters and policy statements:
About the Report of the Re-Entry Council

Policy Statement 21, Research Highlight 3

Most employers are hesitant to hire released individuals.

Employers are often hesitant to hire people recently released from prison or jail for a number of concrete reasons. Besides the stigma of a criminal record and prevalent mismatches between job needs and skill levels of released individuals, state and federal laws prohibit individuals with certain felony convictions from working in certain occupations. [1]   In addition, employers can be legally liable for certain crimes committed by employees if they are found to have been negligent in their hiring. [2]  

  1. Joan Petersilia, "Parole and Prisoner Reentry in the United States," in Michael Tonry and Joan Petersilia (eds.), Prisons (Chicago, IL: University of Chicago Press, 1999). back
  2. Employers have lost 72 percent of negligent hiring cases with an average settlement of more than $1.6 million - see Mary L. Connerley, Richard D. Arvey, and Charles J. Bernardy, "Criminal Background Checks for Prospective and Current Employees: Current Practices Among Municipal Agencies," Public Personnel Management 20, no. 2 (2001). back
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