Abstracts Category : Other

In the Eye of the Employer: An Investigation into the Role of Stigma and Shaming in the Professional Reintegration of Persons with Criminal Records

by Helene-Uko Illesha St

The employment of persons with criminal records has become an increasingly important issue in the Western world. Literature on Canadian hiring practices in relation to persons with criminal records, however, is severely lacking. This thesis aims to make a significant contribution to the field of criminology by investigating how employers evaluate the employability of persons with criminal records, as well as their attitudes and perceptions towards this population. Through eight open-ended and low-structured interviews with owners and/or hiring managers in the city of Ottawa and using the theoretical framework of H. Blumers (1969) symbolic interactionism (SI), E. Goffmans (1963) stigma, and J. Braithwaites (1989) reintegrative shaming for analysis, this thesis attempts to gain insight into the barriers and challenges of professional integration for persons with criminal records. This study ultimately revealed that: (1) criminal record verifications were seldom used among employers to check for past convictions; (2) employers were willing to hire persons with criminal records (under specific conditions); and that (3) employability was based primarily on whether the candidate in question had the skillset required for the position, making the criminal record a secondary consideration. Contrary to popular belief, the results also suggest that while employers may be socially aware of this stigma, not all engage in stigmatizing and/or shaming behaviour towards persons with criminal records during the hiring process. Further, it is often the case that when making decisions, employers must decide between catering to the needs of their business or hiring a prospective candidate despite their criminal record. This study opens new avenues of inquiry concerning persons with criminal records and professional reintegration while proposing future directions for research. RSUMELa rinsertion professionnelle des personnes judiciarises est un sujet qui a acquis une grande importance dans le monde occidental. Toutefois, la littrature dtaillant les pratiques dembauche des employeurs Canadiens est limite. Cette thse vise donc contribuer au champ de connaissance sur le sujet. Elle a pour objectif danalyser comment les employeurs valuent lemployabilit des personnes avec un casier judiciaire, leurs attitudes ainsi que leurs perceptions de cette population. Sur la base de huit entretiens ouverts et non-structurs avec des propritaires et/ou responsables du recrutement dans la ville dOttawa et en utilisant le cadre thorique de linteractionnisme symbolique dH. Blumer (1968), la thorie du stigmate dE. Goffman (1963) ainsi que celle du reintegrative shaming de J. Braithwaite (1989), cette thse aspire une meilleure comprhension des obstacles dans la rinsertion professionnelle des personnes avec un casier judiciaire. Cette tude rvle que (1) la frquence des vrifications des casiers judiciaire est rare, (2) que les employeurs dsirent embaucher les personnes judiciarises (mais sous certaines conditions) et (3)