The Accuracy and Use of Criminal Records for Non-Criminal Justice Purposes

Session Submission Type: Complete Thematic Panel

Abstract

The rise in the use of criminal background checks for non-criminal justice purposes has been accompanied by various practical, social, and policy considerations. The papers in this panel estimate the accuracy of publicly available criminal records and examine how two different types of consumers of criminal record information (administrative law judges and employers) evaluate criminal records in making employment decisions.

Sub Unit

• Area VII: Criminal Justice Policy and Practice / 36: Causes and Consequences of Mass Incarceration

Individual Presentations

• Uses, Abuses, and Error in Criminal History Data Across Platforms - Sarah E. Lageson, Rutgers University

• Balancing Criminal Records with Evidence of Rehabilitation in Licensing Decisions - Megan Denver, University at Albany, SUNY

• Why Do Employers Discriminate Against Individuals with Criminal Records? - Marti Rovira, Universitat Pompeu Fabra (Barcelona); Jorge Rodriguez Menés, Universitat Pompeu Fabra (Barcelona)

Discussant

• James B. Jacobs, New York University School of Law