Stigma, Ex-convicts and Labour Markets

Abstract

Rasmusen (1996) has shown that inmates not only suffer public penalties but also economic and social stigma. In this article, we analyse the economic consequences of imprisonment which can be identified as lower wages and difficulty in re‐entering the labour market. Analysing data from a German survey, we find that having been in prison reduces the probability of finding a job and that the total time sentenced to imprisonment reduces both labour market opportunities and earnings. The penalty is worst for those who have committed murder.

Labour market discrimination against former juvenile delinquents: evidence from a field experiment

“…These non-experimental studies focus mainly on earnings and/or employment differentials by criminal record based on survey or administrative data (Lott, 1990;Grogger, 1995; Needels, 1996;Borland and Hunter, 2000;Western et al, 2001;Kling, 2006;Apel and Sweeten, 2010;Dominguez Alvarez and Loureiro, 2012). In general, they suffer from two important statistical problems: unobserved heterogeneity and sample selection bias.…”

“…Former contributions have been giving evidence for a causal negative relationship between criminal record on the one hand and later employment and earnings on the other hand (Lott, 1990;Waldfogel, 1994;Grogger, 1995; Needels, 1996;Borland and Hunter, 2000;Western et al, 2001;Kling, 2006;Graffam et al, 2008;Holzer, 2009;Apel and Sweeten, 2010;Dominguez Alvarez and Loureiro, 2012). This finding is important as this labour market sanction for crime is an important component of 2 overall punishment (Holzer, 2009).…”

The employability of ex-offenders: a field experiment in the Swedish labor market

“…Research on ex-offenders' labor market performance suggests that a criminal past has negative consequences on various labor market outcomes, such as employment and earnings (Lott 1990;Waldfogel 1994;Grogger 1995;Needels 1996;Borland and Hunter 2000;Western et al 2001;Western 2002;Pager 2003;Pager et al 2009a;Pager et al 2009b;Holzer et al 2005;Holzer et al 2006;Kling 2006;Graffam et al 2008;Apel and Sweeten 2010;Dominguez Alvarez and Loureiro 2012;Baert and Verhofstadt 2015). Being deprived of labor market opportunities due to a criminal background has serious consequences for ex-offenders and for society as a whole.…”

Labour Market Discrimination Against Former Juvenile Delinquents: Evidence from a Field Experiment

“…Most former contributions on the relationship between criminal history on the one hand and labour market outcomes on the other hand are based on non-experimental data. These non-experimental studies focus mainly on earnings and/or employment differentials by criminal record based on survey or administrative data (Lott, 1990;Grogger, 1995;Needels, 1996;Borland and Hunter, 2000;Western et al, 2001;Kling, 2006;Apel and Sweeten, 2010;Dominguez Alvarez and Loureiro, 2012). In general, they suffer from two important statistical problems: unobserved heterogeneity and sample selection bias.…”

“…Former contributions have been giving evidence for a causal negative relationship between criminal record on the one hand and later employment and earnings on the other hand (Lott, 1990;Waldfogel, 1994;Grogger, 1995;Needels, 1996;Borland and Hunter, 2000;Western et al, 2001;Kling, 2006;Graffam et al, 2008;Holzer, 2009;Apel and Sweeten, 2010;Dominguez Alvarez and Loureiro, 2012). This finding is important as this labour market sanction for crime is an important component of overall punishment (Holzer, 2009).…”