Leery of hiring ex-offenders? Study looks at employer attitudes

For years, employers have bemoaned the "skills gap." Even when candidates seem to be plentiful, many employers report a dearth of applicants with the right skills to fill positions. It's enough to put employers on the hunt for new talent pools, and recent research points out why they might consider a long-shunned group—people with criminal records.

How ex-offenders are seen

A major research report released in May attempts to show employers the benefits they can realize when they consider ex-offenders. The report's introduction says the research was conducted because the time has come to address how employers are thinking about a large and largely untapped talent pool.

The research is from the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM), the SHRM Foundation, and the Charles Koch Institute (CKI). Both SHRM and CKI are among organizations encouraging employers to hire ex-offenders.

In announcing the research, Johnny C. Taylor, Jr., SHRM president and CEO, pointed to the organizations' commitment to "changing the narrative and helping people with criminal records thrive and succeed in the workplace."

"By encouraging employers to recruit, hire, and give workers with a criminal background a chance, we can help close the skills gap and break the cycle of recidivism, positively impacting families, communities, and businesses across the country—not just now, but for generations to come," Taylor said.

The new report says estimates show more than one in three Americans have a criminal record, and those people—especially the formerly incarcerated—face significant barriers to employment.