Published: April 19, 2023
One of the largest untapped talent pools available is the justice involved population.
- Over 78 million Americans have a criminal record (25% of the population)
- 32% of working-age people have criminal convictions
- 600,000 people are released from prison each year. More than half will end up back behind bars, largely because they can’t find a job.
- People of color make up approximately 32% of the general population yet they account for more 52% of total people incarcerated.
- Employers can potentially use criminal records to discriminate, either overtly or unintentionally.
- A study by Johns Hopkins that tracked ex-offenders hired by Johns Hopkins showed that there was a lower turnover rate over the first 40 months of employment and of 79 hired with serious records, 73 were still employed after 6 years.
What is Fair Chance Hiring?
- Fair Chance Hiring is the practice of treating applicants with a criminal history the same as every other qualified candidate.
Benefits of Fair Chance Hiring?
- Larger talent pool: Businesses that practice fair chance hiring have more qualified candidates in their talent pool.
- Competitive advantage: Since almost one-third of the country’s working-age people have criminal histories, excluding this entire group can be a costly mistake. Considering a larger talent pool means attracting stronger candidates, which helps businesses remain competitive.
- Higher rates of engagement: Fair chance employees outperform other employees on scores of engagement and loyalty by over 30 percent.
- Reduced turnover/increased ROI: Recent studies show employees with criminal records are more loyal to employers than non-justice-involved employees. Fair Chance policies can increase retention and offer a high return on investment on training and employee development programs.
- Increased diversity: Diversity and inclusion are essential aspects of running a successful business. Unfortunately, the incarcerated population in this country is disproportionately comprised of minorities. When businesses consider workers with criminal records, they open their doors to a highly diverse population of qualified workers from various backgrounds, education levels and socioeconomic statuses.
Fair Chance Employer Recognition Program
CareerSource Capital Region’s Fair Chance Employer Recognition Program will recognize your organization and help refer qualified candidates to your job openings.
Contact us to learn more.
Written By: Trish Yahn, Senior Director, CareerSource Capital Region
