Research summaryA growing literature documents the effect of criminal justice contact on inequalities in the labor market. While ample evidence indicates that a criminal record itself imposes considerable disadvantage, the formal legal mechanisms that may contribute to criminal record‐based exclusion have received less empirical attention. The present study examines how one such mechanism—legal requirements for employers and license boards to perform criminal background checks—shapes labor market outcomes among formerly incarcerated people. The study draws from novel longitudinal data on the extensiveness of background check requirements at the state level, as well as individual‐level data on incarceration, wages, and unemployment from the Panel Study of Income Dynamics. Results show that while the extensiveness of state‐level background check requirements does not significantly affect the likelihood of unemployment, formerly incarcerated people residing in states where background check requirements are extensive are estimated to earn significantly lower wages than their counterparts in states with few screening mandates.Policy implicationsCriminal background check requirements stand as significant policy barriers that diminish the earning potential of formerly incarcerated people. Policy makers seeking to mitigate the collateral consequences of criminal convictions should narrow the scope of these laws to target specific, highly sensitive occupations, as opposed to broader workplace contexts. Reforms should also address persistent data quality issues in state criminal history record systems and shift the burdens imposed by incomplete or erroneous rap sheets. To minimize adverse self‐selection, background check procedures should clarify for applicants the role that a criminal history record may play in clearance decisions. Finally, future research should assess the marginal benefit of criminal background checks compared with other methods of screening prospective hires and licensees.

中文翻译：

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美国的犯罪背景调查法和劳动力市场不平等

研究摘要 越来越多的文献记录了刑事司法接触对劳动力市场不平等的影响。虽然大量证据表明犯罪记录本身会带来相当大的不利影响，但可能有助于基于犯罪记录的排除的正式法律机制却很少受到实证关注。本研究探讨了这样一种机制——雇主和执照委员会进行犯罪背景调查的法律要求——如何影响前被监禁者的劳动力市场结果。该研究借鉴了关于州一级背景调查要求广泛性的新颖纵向数据，以及来自收入动态小组研究的关于监禁、工资和失业的个人层面数据。结果显示，虽然州级背景调查要求的广泛性并不会显着影响失业的可能性，但居住在背景调查要求广泛的州的前被监禁者的工资估计比居住在背景调查要求很少的州的同龄人要低得多政策影响 犯罪背景调查要求是重要的政策障碍，削弱了前被监禁者的收入潜力。寻求减轻刑事定罪附带后果的政策制定者应缩小这些法律的范围，以针对特定的、高度敏感的职业，而不是更广泛的工作场所环境。改革还应解决州犯罪历史记录系统中持续存在的数据质量问题，并转移不完整或错误的犯罪记录所带来的负担。为了最大限度地减少不利的自我选择，背景调查程序应向申请人澄清犯罪历史记录在清关决定中可能发挥的作用。最后，未来的研究应该评估犯罪背景调查与其他筛选潜在雇员和被许可人的方法相比的边际效益。