One in three working-age adults as a criminal history, reducing the number of callbacks for job opportunities by 50%. A 2022 study by RAND Corporation found that by age 35, 64% of unemployed American men had some for of criminal record, but this accounts only for those who were actively looking for working. It’s likely an even larger volume of prime-age adults in Michigan have dropped out of the workforce entirely because of the barriers presented by a criminal history.
West Michigan employers should take advantage of the opportunity to hire returning citizens and reconsider restrictive policies they have against hiring people with criminal histories. This practice addresses a variety of problems for employers and communities alike. This report highlights leading practices for how to hire from this talent pool.