The Society of Human Resource Management (SHRM) says that communities become safer when people are able to earn a decent living. They think that formerly incarcerated individuals (those with criminal background records) don’t recidivate because of their character, they do it because they can’t find employment and decent living conditions and therefore can’t provide for themselves or their families.
There have been several initiatives in the USA in the last decade or so to help aid ex-cons find gainful employment. The most famous of which is the ban-the-box movement which eliminates the question of criminal history on certain employer’s job applications. At this point it is clear that the majority of people in this country are willing to help individuals with certain criminal pasts get back on their feet and reintegrate into mainstream society in a positive way and getting these people good jobs becomes a top priority to complete a successful transition into a healthy and crime free societal way of life.
Housing and employment are critical in keeping formerly incarcerated individuals from going back to jail.
From a recent article in USA Today (Mar 19, 19):
“I think it’s the perfect storm,” Taylor {Johnny Taylor, CEO of SHRM, Society of Human Resource Management} says, noting that communities also become safer when people are able to legally earn a living. “People aren’t recidivating (or returning to criminal activity) simply because they’re bad actors. They’re recidivating because they can’t provide for their families.” usatoday.com/story/money/2019/03/19/business-commitment-hiring-those-with-criminal-record/3091463002/
In recent years efforts have been made to legislate the question of criminal history from the front end of pre-employment background screening by removing the question for the initial application. However, States like California and organizations like the SHRM are going even beyond that.
Recent surveys sponsored by SHRM have suggested that the general public is open to working with companies that hire formerly incarcerated individuals.
From FastCompany.com (Apr. 04, 19):
The Koch Institute and SHRM collaborated on yet another poll. It turns out that 78% of Americans are comfortable buying goods {sic} or services from a company who hires ex-cons to directly interact with them. Logically, that’s not surprising. Why wouldn’t people who are okay hiring ex-offenders or working alongside them also be fine patronizing places that acted similarly? fastcompany.com/90329075/whats-holding-companies-back-from-hiring-people-with-criminal-records
Recently SHRM launched a new initiative and guidance for hiring organizations.
From FastCompany.com (Apr. 04, 19):
SHRM countered that in late January 2019 by launching Getting Talent Back to Work, an initiative that offers an online tool kit and additional guidance for all types of organizations. ibid
The action taken by SHRM will certainly push the industry toward hiring and rehiring formerly incarcerated individuals. And with this action a renewed focus on fair and equal pre-employment background screening will take place. Criminal background checks will remain an important tool in the hiring process, but where and when criminal background records are reviewed will change, as will the pre-conceived stigma attached to criminal history.
To read more about this subject read recent press release found at:SHRM Pushes for Greater Inclusion of Formerly Incarcerated, a Step that Could Greatly Impact Hiring; Opines CriminalBackgroundRecords.com