title: Employer attitudes about criminal histories.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Although the individual placement and support (IPS) approach has demonstrated superior competitive employment outcomes for people with severe mental illness, practitioners report that job obtainment for people with criminal convictions is particularly challenging. The current study examined employer hiring decisions and attitudes regarding job applicants with felonies. The main purpose of the study was to identify the percentage of employers who had knowingly hired applicants with felonies, and if the hiring patterns differed by employer type.
  
  
  METHODS
  Twelve employment specialists from nine states interviewed 128 employers about their past hiring practices. Two IPS trainers coordinated the project with the specialists.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Survey findings did not support common assumptions held by employment specialists about employer attitudes. Sixty-three percent of employers surveyed said that they had knowingly hired at least one person with a felony conviction. Further, few businesses had written policies that would prohibit the hiring of people with felony convictions.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Employers' reported reasons for having hired individuals with felony convictions provide a framework to help jobseekers improve their prospects for favorable hiring decisions. Employers suggested that relationships with employment specialists can also facilitate the hiring of applicants with felonies.
authors.affiliation: Darthmouth College, Dartmouth Psychiatric Research Center, Lebanon, New Hampshire 03766, USA. sarah.j.swanson@darthmouth.edu
authors.forename: Sarah J
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: Swanson
authors.forename: Sandra
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Langfitt-Reese
authors.forename: Gary R
authors.initials: GR
authors.lastname: Bond
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001290:Attitude; D057237:Criminals / Q000523:psychology*; D003469:Culture; D003625:Data Collection; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007406:Interview, Psychological; D007586:Job Application; D008297:Male; D016134:Organizational Policy; D010559:Personnel Management; D010560:Personnel Selection; D011287:Prejudice / Q000523:psychology; D011618:Psychotic Disorders / Q000523:psychology* / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D012050:Rehabilitation, Vocational / Q000523:psychology*; D012944:Social Support; D014830:Vocational Guidance