The Effect of an Applicant's Criminal History on Employer Hiring Decisions and Screening Practices: Evidence from Los Angeles

Authored by Harry J. Holzer, Georgetown Public Policy Institute, Georgetown University; Steven Raphael, Goldman School of Public Policy, University of California, Berkeley; and Michael A. Stoll, Department of Public Policy, School of Public Affairs, University of California, Los Angeles. This report, as part of the Working Paper Series of the National Poverty Center (NPC), provides a nuanced portrait of how criminal histories affect employer hiring decisions. Employer sentiments about ex-offenders, hiring behavior of ex-offenders, and methods used to screen the criminal histories of job applicants are all considered.