Unveiling the Impact of Criminal Records on Employment and Earnings: A Case Disposition Perspective

• In Event: Background Checks and Life after Conviction

Abstract

The presence of a criminal record, accessible to employers via background checks, has been shown to impede economic mobility and financial stability (Bushway et al., 2007; Griffith et al., 2019), as well as pose significant barriers to participation in the formal financial sector and wealth accumulation (Jacobs, 2015; Selbin et al., 2018). Past research has shown negative employment effects from all types of contact with the criminal justice system ranging from arrests (Grogger, 1995; Uggen et al., 2014) to convictions, but there has been little investigation into whether case disposition matters in determining future employment outcomes. Using event study methodology designed with matching, this paper investigates differential outcomes in employment and earnings for individuals with dismissed cases and those with convictions in a sample of Ohioans charged with misdemeanor offenses. Our comparison groups were matched according to their demographics, case characteristics, and pre-justice system employment histories. Our findings confirm those seen in prior studies, suggesting that having a misdemeanor record negatively impacts employment and earnings trajectories. Furthermore, we find almost no significant differences in employment and earnings by case disposition.

Authors

• Rebecca Xie, The Ohio State University

• Adrienne DiTommaso, The Ohio State University