“CORI-friendly, except…”: Examining Formerly Incarcerated Adults’ Perceptions of Second Chance Employers and Policies

• In Event: Understanding the Enduring Impact of a Criminal Record

Abstract

Second chance hiring, or the commitment to employ people with criminal records, is simultaneously an ongoing public movement and an opaque process. To understand how criminal record holders view self-proclaimed second chance employers (known as criminal record or “CORI” friendly employers in Massachusetts), we analyze interview data from 100 formerly incarcerated adults living in the Greater Boston area. We consider participants’ experiences with criminal record inquiries and formal background checks in a Ban-the-Box context, whether they can provide evidence of rehabilitation to employers, and what it means for an employer to be “CORI-friendly.” While several major companies were frequently viewed as second chance employers (at least in theory), in practice our participants indicated that only certain types of criminal record holders are considered eligible for second chances, even among the CORI-friendly employers. We discuss the implications of CORI-friendly exceptions for stigma mitigation efforts, traditional labor market opportunities, and alternative employment pursuits.

Authors

• Megan Denver, Northeastern University

• Rod K. Brunson, University of Maryland

• Oscar Navarro, Northeastern University