The employability of ex-offenders: a field experiment in the Swedish labor market

Ali M. Ahmed () and Elisabeth Lång ()
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Ali M. Ahmed: Linköping University
Elisabeth Lång: Linköping University

IZA Journal of Labor Policy, 2017, vol. 6, issue 1, 1-23

Abstract: Abstract This paper presents the findings of a field experiment on hiring discrimination against ex-offenders in the Swedish labor market. Matched pairs of written job applications for fictitious male and female applicants with and without a past conviction of assault were sent to employers for nine different occupations. Results show that discrimination against ex-offenders exists, but the extent of it varies across occupations. The past conviction of assault was associated with 7–18 percentage point lower probability of receiving a positive employer response. Discrimination against ex-offenders was pronounced in female-dominated and high-skilled occupations. The magnitude of discrimination against ex-offenders did not vary by applicants’ sex.

Keywords: Ex-offenders; Field experiments; Labor market discrimination (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: C93 J71 K42 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2017
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Citations: View citations in EconPapers (4)

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DOI: 10.1186/s40173-017-0084-2

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