The Positive Effects Of Employment On Lowering Recidivism

Much research has been done regarding the positive effect employment has on lowering recidivism. However, little research has been done to determine the effect a criminal record, including registration as a sex offender, has on finding gainful employment. Holzer’s 1996 study (as cited by Johnson, 2006) found that two-thirds of employers in major cities would avoid hiring known ex-offenders, indicating that regardless of public policies that may make finding employment difficult, ex-offenders ultimately still have to overcome the social stigma of their criminal histories. Negative community attitudes towards criminal history are even worse for those who are registered sex offenders (Willis, Levenson, Ward, 2010). With the addition of†¦show more content†¦However, the researchers also found that the unemployment rate among released offenders was over six times higher than that of the general population at the time of the study in 2009. Furthermore, the unemployment rat e among ex-offenders within nine months of release from prison was between 92-97 percent. Potential Barriers to Employment Unemployment can be especially hard to tackle when a limited number of fields are open to those who are looking for jobs. A 1998 Bureau of Justice Statisitcs Report (as quoted by Travis, Solomon, Waul, 2001) found that a number of fields were off limits to ex-offenders looking for work, including â€Å"law, real estate, medicine, nursing, physical therapy, and education†. Released sex offenders may face further restrictions in which fields they may enter depending on the stipulations of their release. Johnson (2006) notes that due to internet usage restrictions, some released sex offenders are not able to perform jobs that require use of the internet. Such restrictions may severely limit the job opportunities for ex-offenders. Once an ex-offender finds a field in which they can work, they can be subject to further scrutiny through the use of criminal background checks by hiring managers. Nally, et al. (2014) noted a number of studies showing thatShow MoreRelatedHow Recidivism Is Better Than Others, And The Researcher1262 Words   |  6 Pagesquestions will be important for better understanding recidivism, why the government has difficulty in combating it, and also how to improve aftercare programs to decrease the level of recidivism. In this vein, Maltz (1984) took to the analysis of the recidivism phenomenon, reviewing different definitions of the word and relating these definitions to the evaluation of goals programs of the criminal justice system. 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