Policies that prohibit employers from asking about criminal history early in the hiring process, often called “Ban the Box,” have gained attention as a way to level the playing field for formerly incarcerated people. But even if these policies are implemented, many employers still conduct background checks in final screenings, meaning this harmful information may still be revealed, just at a later time. New research (Houston et al., 2025) explores a different approach; it finds that how people disclose their incarceration can shape how others respond to them.
EMPHASIZING ACHIEVEMENTS DURING INCARCERATION
In the first study, researchers sent mock job-search emails to state legislators describing a job seeker with a three-year employment gap. The messages varied in whether the gap was unexplained, attributed to incarceration, or attributed to incarceration with added information about achievements earned in prison. The odds of receiving a response were 31% lower for emails indicating incarceration without achievement information and 68% lower for those providing no explanation at all, compared to messages that highlighted prison accomplishments. Messages that included achievement information also received higher-quality assistance.
Next, online participants evaluated job candidates whose employment gaps were described in the same three ways. Candidates who disclosed incarceration without mentioning achievements were rated lower in competence and moral character and were less likely to receive job-search support than those who highlighted prison accomplishments. In their third study, candidates with incarceration-related gaps were compared to those with parental leave gaps; highlighting achievements was especially beneficial for people with incarceration histories, increasing perceptions of competence and morality and in turn job search support.
PRACTICAL AND POLICY IMPLICATIONS
These findings suggest that how formerly incarcerated people talk about their experiences can shape others’ willingness to help them find work. Highlighting educational, vocational, or skill-based achievements may help counteract stigma and increase access to job-related support. From a policy perspective, this work underscores the importance of investing in prison-based education and training programs, as well as providing resources to help people communicate their accomplishments during reentry. Programs that assist with résumé development and credential documentation may be especially impactful.
Houston, L. III, Neely, B. H., Jr., Kundro, T. G., & Traylor, H. D. (2025). (Re)Entering the workforce after imprisonment: A new perspective on voluntary disclosure of criminal history and job-search assistance. Journal of Applied Psychology. Advance online publication.
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