Talented, Valuable, and Committed: (Mis)Perceptions of Employees with Criminal Histories

The negative stigma associated with criminal activity often makes organizations hesitant to employ individuals with criminal records. However, when justice-involved individuals are employed, it is unclear whether these negative stigmas are reduced. Based on the extant research on stigma theory and relevant empirical evidence, this research study explores the perceptions of workers with criminal records with respect to their perceived productivity, commitment, ability to fill skill demands, and to serve as a valuable source of talent, which were collectively combined into a performance index variable. An additional focal point in our analysis assessed whether diversity and inclusion efforts on part of the organization impact its willingness to hire. Overall, employers that hired people with a criminal history were more likely to view this population of employees favorably. Additionally, employers were more likely to hire when they perceived diversity and inclusion to be important. This contradicts assumptions about the presumed importance of criminal records in relation to job behavior.