More than half of unemployed young men in the US have criminal records, study says

[mystery-ak]

More than half of unemployed young men in the US have criminal records, study says

“The unemployment system almost never looks at the role that criminal history plays in keeping people out of the workforce,” said Shawn Bushway, senior policy researcher at RAND Corporation.
By
Shirin Ali | Feb. 21, 2022



Story at a glance

    Researchers from RAND Corporation studied the effect criminal records have among unemployed American men.
    They estimated more than half of unemployed men living in America in their 30s have a history of being arrested or convicted of a crime.
    The prevalence of arrests for all Black men, both employed and unemployed, was roughly 33 percent higher than it was for white men at every age that researchers examined.

Having a criminal record in the U.S. may be more common than it seems, as new research suggests more than half of unemployed men in their 30s living in the U.S. have a history of being arrested or convicted of a crime.

It's estimated that as many as one in three American adults have been arrested at some point in their life and men are more likely than women to have a criminal record. Researchers from the RAND Corporation, a global policy think tank, noted that those figures are a result of the country’s aggressive law enforcement practices over the past several decades. 

Researchers at RAND decided to study the effects a criminal record has on men in America, publishing their results in the journal Science Advances. They found that by the age of 35, about 64 percent of unemployed men in America have been arrested and 46 percent have been convicted of a crime. 

more
https://thehill.com/changing-america/respect/accessibility/595178-more-than-half-of-unemployed-young-men-in-the-us-have

[rustynail]

An expungement jubilee is needed.

[roamer_1]

That all kinda depends...

I have a sheet. I am a 'criminal'... Most all of it having to do with felony moving violations, unintentional trespass, and all the varieties of assault and property damage associated with getting rowdy in bars and such... And most of that, believe it or not, started in self-defense. ALL of it decades old.

I was always able to get work. I was always able, and even encouraged to straighten out and fly right. And I did git er done. Just took me longer than most.

And as an employer... I am obliged to be cautious depending upon the charge. I am not going to hire a thief. Nor one who would assault a woman, as instances - Because the nature of the character of such a man is to be highly questioned. But fighting is so much a part of male instinct, and being rowdy in ones youth so much a part of establishment of self, that much of that sort of thing can be overlooked or tolerated until it is figured out.

Provided it is finally figured out. So in a male world, it ain't so much that a feller has been charged, or convicted, or done county time - Many of us have in the course of growing up. Even state or federal time - THAT it happened is less important than WHY it happened.

If a feller is having a hard time getting that sorted with other men, there is a reason for it.

[catfish1957]

Things sure have changed.  When I hired people, and I hired 100's in the oil industry. A clean felony free criminal record was a prerequisite for even getting an interview.

[roamer_1]

Things sure have changed.  When I hired people, and I hired 100's in the oil industry. A clean felony free criminal record was a prerequisite for even getting an interview.

Really. Everybody I know in the Patch (and I know plenty) tend to be rowdy as hell.

[catfish1957]

Really. Everybody I know in the Patch (and I know plenty) tend to be rowdy as hell.

Yes, really.  HR conducted background checks on perspective interviewees.  And at the time, that only typically culled about 10%.

Again, only felony convictions were a disqualifiying event.

[Kamaji]

That all kinda depends...

I have a sheet. I am a 'criminal'... Most all of it having to do with felony moving violations, unintentional trespass, and all the varieties of assault and property damage associated with getting rowdy in bars and such... And most of that, believe it or not, started in self-defense. ALL of it decades old.

I was always able to get work. I was always able, and even encouraged to straighten out and fly right. And I did git er done. Just took me longer than most.

And as an employer... I am obliged to be cautious depending upon the charge. I am not going to hire a thief. Nor one who would assault a woman, as instances - Because the nature of the character of such a man is to be highly questioned. But fighting is so much a part of male instinct, and being rowdy in ones youth so much a part of establishment of self, that much of that sort of thing can be overlooked or tolerated until it is figured out.

Provided it is finally figured out. So in a male world, it ain't so much that a feller has been charged, or convicted, or done county time - Many of us have in the course of growing up. Even state or federal time - THAT it happened is less important than WHY it happened.

If a feller is having a hard time getting that sorted with other men, there is a reason for it.

Would you hire someone who was arrested/convicted for grand larceny when he was 18, spent 2 years in prison, but has since then cleaned up his act and had no more than a few speeding tickets on his record in the last 8 years?

[roamer_1]

Would you hire someone who was arrested/convicted for grand larceny when he was 18, spent 2 years in prison, but has since then cleaned up his act and had no more than a few speeding tickets on his record in the last 8 years?

On the bubble. That could go either way. 10 years behind him, married with kids, I would likely give him a chance. But that would depend upon insurance. If I can get him past my insurance guy is the primary hurdle.

[Kamaji]

On the bubble. That could go either way. 10 years behind him, married with kids, I would likely give him a chance. But that would depend upon insurance. If I can get him past my insurance guy is the primary hurdle.

Fair enough.  Assume he wasn't married and didn't have kids, but did have a work history and a clean record.  Also assume no insurance problems.  Would you do it?

I know I'm asking a hypothetical, with precious few facts - and its the specific facts that would make or break any given case - I'm just trying to get a feel for it.

[roamer_1]

Fair enough.  Assume he wasn't married and didn't have kids, but did have a work history and a clean record.  Also assume no insurance problems.  Would you do it?

I know I'm asking a hypothetical, with precious few facts - and its the specific facts that would make or break any given case - I'm just trying to get a feel for it.

The closest real world 'hiring of a thief' that I have to offer is a kid I hired with several GTAs in his youth. The Judge, as in so many cases, gave him a final ultimatum, having sent him up to county already... Military or Pen. The kid chose military, served in theater, came home hard to hire.

Great guy. Oddly enough, I never worried about him stealing anything. His major dysfunction was being tolerable and interchangeable in crews. And that was problematic. Too gung-ho, and a hard driver to a flaw.

Now, he does not fit your profile perfectly - He was actually divorced and trying to get back with his woman. And he had kids with her. But more or less single.

[roamer_1]

And please DO note that as I said above, hiring a thief is most certainly an exception to the rule.

[Kamaji]

The closest real world 'hiring of a thief' that I have to offer is a kid I hired with several GTAs in his youth. The Judge, as in so many cases, gave him a final ultimatum, having sent him up to county already... Military or Pen. The kid chose military, served in theater, came home hard to hire.

Great guy. Oddly enough, I never worried about him stealing anything. His major dysfunction was being tolerable and interchangeable in crews. And that was problematic. Too gung-ho, and a hard driver to a flaw.

Now, he does not fit your profile perfectly - He was actually divorced and trying to get back with his woman. And he had kids with her. But more or less single.

Fair dinkum!  Thanks for putting up with my tendentious hypotheticals!

[GtHawk]

 

Would you hire someone who was arrested/convicted for grand larceny when he was 18, spent 2 years in prison, but has since then cleaned up his act and had no more than a few speeding tickets on his record in the last 8 years?

Well I had no felonies, but I was refused a job with a school district maintenance department, forever!, because I had a speeding ticket 9 years 11 months and 29 days prior. No friggin lie, and that was the last straw pushing me to disability after trying for close to two years to get employment after Barry and Joe finished their first term and my employer. So I guess the answer to your question would be depends on the employer. personally I have worked with prior felons that cleaned up their act and were very dependable and honest, I worked shortly with the opposite type too.

[Smokin Joe]

Really. Everybody I know in the Patch (and I know plenty) tend to be rowdy as hell.

Rowdy is one thing. Knowing where, when, and when to quit are good things that keep the police away.

[EdinVA]

We no longer have managers, we have administrators whose life revolves around checklists and they have no tolerance for any descent, options, or opinions regardless of the impact on costs or quality of service, this is how russia/russia/russia got as far as it did.   If the interviewer has ANY inkling of reluctance to "toe the line" you will not get hired, hence the drive to hire conformists and non-citizen, easy to manage...
If you are willing to "buck the law", no matter the degree, you are difficult to manage...

[catfish1957]

We no longer have managers, we have administrators whose life revolves around checklists and they have no tolerance for any descent, options, or opinions regardless of the impact on costs or quality of service, this is how russia/russia/russia got as far as it did.   If the interviewer has ANY inkling of reluctance to "toe the line" you will not get hired, hence the drive to hire conformists and non-citizen, easy to manage...
If you are willing to "buck the law", no matter the degree, you are difficult to manage...

See that concept has been furthered since I retired 10 years ago.  Big Oil since the early 2000's had gone from a basis of innovation, to one that valued Managers who could promote and adhere to systems. Robots were of more value than a maverick who might shake something up with a a great idea.

Glad I am long gone from that bullshit.

[roamer_1]

Rowdy is one thing. Knowing where, when, and when to quit are good things that keep the police away.

Yep. I figgered that out. Eventually.

For a while there, I didn't get the linkage... And then like an epiphany...
OH, WAIDADAMMINNIT! I SEE WHAT'S GOING ON!

*winks*

[sneakypete]

Really. Everybody I know in the Patch (and I know plenty) tend to be rowdy as hell.

@catfish1957   @roamer_1

Roamer,please note the use of the word "FELONY" by Catfish.

LOTS of people get arrested for things like felony assault,but the charges are dropped down to misdemeanor with plea bargains.

Which means if you have a felony conviction,chances are you are a risky hire for anyone who can be sued.

It can also mean you might not be too bright because it is a rare prosecutor who won't accept a quick guilty plea for a minor crime that COULD be prosecuted as a felony if the prosecutor was willing to waste that court time.

Lots of times,even that guilty misdemeanor plea can/will be expunged from your record after some time has passed with no repeat offenses.

[catfish1957]

@catfish1957   @roamer_1

Roamer,please note the use of the word "FELONY" by Catfish.

LOTS of people get arrested for things like felony assault,but the charges are dropped down to misdemeanor with plea bargains.

Which means if you have a felony conviction,chances are you are a risky hire for anyone who can be sued.

It can also mean you might not be too bright because it is a rare prosecutor who won't accept a quick guilty plea for a minor crime that COULD be prosecuted as a felony if the prosecutor was willing to waste that court time.

Lots of times,even that guilty misdemeanor plea can/will be expunged from your record after some time has passed with no repeat offenses.

Another interesting asepct of how records impact your career, was that post 9-11, how DHS mandated that into those in critical DOT impacted positions.  That included all Unit shift foreman, up the process food chain to the Plant manager, and his staff, and Transportation  staff that managed, incoming and outgoing truck, rail, ship, or pipeline.   We could not have a DUI, or any "security" (loosely) infraction on our record.

I knew a few who weren't fired, but had to be reassigned.

[sneakypete]

Another interesting asepct of how records impact your career, was that post 9-11, DHS mandated that those in critical DOT impacted positions.  That included all Unit shift foreman, Plant manager, and his staff, and DOT staff that managed, truck, rail, ship, or pipeline.   We could not have a DUI, or any "security" (loosely) infraction on our record.

I knew a few who weren't fired, but had to be reassigned.

@catfish1957

I had no idea they were doing that.

[catfish1957]

@catfish1957

I had no idea they were doing that.

Oh, and by the way, all of us on the list, were subject to fedrally mandated random drug and alcohol testing.

Since I had Envionmental, Safety, and Security, I unrandomly included myself occasionally for testing sometimes.

Was always fun to bring my boss the Plant Manager a Pee Jar,