Erasing the Mark of a Criminal Record: Examining the Effect of Education on Ex-Offender Employment

• In Event: Employment Focused Programs and Prisoner Reentry

Abstract

The United States has the largest incarcerated population in the world, and with that it also has the largest population of citizens with criminal records and the stigma associated with these records. The stigma encountered by ex-offenders is thought to contribute to the high recidivism rates currently observed through blocking opportunities for advancement in conventional society. Pager’s (2003) work found that individuals with a felony conviction were half as likely to receive an interview or call-back regarding employment as individuals with no felony convictions. While previous research has noted the existence of negative stigma, little research has been conducted to examine potential methods for reducing the stigma ex-offenders face upon re-entering society. In conventional society the most common method for securing stable employment is attaining degrees in formal education. While education has long been associated with the pathway to the American dream in conventional society, it is unclear as to whether education can erase or at the very least mitigate the mark of a criminal record. Using audit study methodology, we seek to answer the question of whether the level of education matters in securing employment for ex-offenders.

Authors

• Patrick R. Cundiff, East Carolina University

• Milton Joyner, East Carolina University

• Nicholas Dube, East Carolina University