From prison to profession: Postsecondary education and access to middle‐skill jobs

Abstract

Several criminological theories identify employment as an important “turning point” that decreases the likelihood of engaging in crime; however, studies have found the effect of employment on recidivism to be small. Recent scholarship has suggested a compelling explanation for these findings; it is not just any jobs, but good jobs, that improve outcomes, and policies and programs should prioritize helping individuals with criminal records build skills valued in the middle-skill workforce. The current study examines whether postsecondary credentials earned during incarceration—specifically, sub-baccalaureate certificates and bachelor’s degrees—improve the likelihood of securing middle-skill employment after release. The study employs a résumé audit methodology in which the author applied to 2623 middle-skill job advertisements using résumés of fictional applicants with criminal records that varied on both education credentials and race. The results suggest that employers are more likely to extend an interview for a middle-skill job to individuals who earn bachelor’s degrees—but not sub-baccalaureate certificates—while incarcerated relative to those who earn a GED, and that the odds of receiving an interview increase substantially more when relevant experience is coupled with a bachelor’s degree. Additionally, bachelor’s degrees appear to increase the likelihood of securing a job that offers a living wage.