Authors : Andrea Jeanette B. Amurao; Shane Anne Marie G. Tababa; Vincent Chloe G. Canlas; Rhem Rick N. Corpuz

Volume/Issue : Volume 10 - 2025, Issue 1 - January

Google Scholar : https://tinyurl.com/2aek2ej2

Scribd : https://tinyurl.com/54fuh3se

DOI : https://doi.org/ 10.5281/zenodo.14621333

Abstract : Reintegrating into society with a criminal record is challenging, particularly in securing employment due to stigma and discrimination. In the Philippines, former persons deprived of liberty face a 13.8% unemployment rate—nearly double the national average of 7.1%. This study employs a quantitative Descriptive Correlational Survey design, surveying 150 business employers in Angeles City, Philippines, to examine perceptions of hiring former offenders. The research focuses on employers in SMEs with hiring responsibilities, excluding those without relevant policies or roles. Key factors influencing hiring decisions include offense type, sentence length, personal beliefs, corporate values, and public perception. Experience with hiring ex- offenders, particularly for non-violent offenders or those with shorter sentences, increases openness to inclusive hiring. Financial incentives, support programs, and education help mitigate perceived risks. Corporate social responsibility (CSR) and the societal benefits of reintegration further encourage second-chance hiring, promoting equity in the labor market. Government incentives and support programs play a critical role in enhancing employability, while inclusive hiring policies and values are essential to reducing stigma and fostering opportunities for former persons deprived of liberty. This study highlights the need for holistic strategies to address employment barriers and promote a fairer labor market.

Keywords : Business Employers; Former Persons Deprived of Liberty; Risks; Opportunities; Influencing Factors; Angeles City, Philippines.

References :

1. Agtong, G. A., Bazer, A., Descuatan, K. A., & Ceballo, E. C. (2023). Life after Imprisonment: Exploring the Repercussions of Jail Time on formerly incarcerated individuals. Asian Research Journal of Arts & Social Sciences, 21(3), 61-77.
2. Bernburg, J. G. (2019). Labeling theory. Handbook on crime and deviance, 179-196.
3. Bidola, V. R., De Leon, R., Ignacio, E., Mori, M. J., Valdez, S. N., & Bernabe, J. (2024). Life After Bars: A Narrative-Case Study of formerly incarcerated individuals. American Journal of Human Psychology, 2(1), 22-32.
4. Bowles, T. S., & Guerra, M. (2022). Employment barriers facing ex-offenders: Literature review for capstone project.
5. Bu, Y. (2022). Re-employment of ex-offenders in China: Research on employment discrimination and the system of elimination of criminal record. In 2021 International Conference on Social Development and Media Communication (SDMC 2021) (pp. 128-132). Atlantis Press.
6. Burns, P., De Sisto, M., & Timming, A. R. (2023). Changing public attitudes toward the employment of formerly incarcerated people: The role of “human resources social advocacy”. Human Resource Management Journal, 33(3), 763-781.
7. Chen, C. P., & Shields, B. (2020). Career counselling ex-offenders: Issues and interventions. Australian Journal of Career Development, 29(1), 36-43.
8. Collins Dictionary. (2024). Definition of ex-convict. Retrieved from https://www.collinsdictionary.com/dictionary/english/ex-convict
9. Cortina, H. G., Allen, A. M., Stein, J., & Bellotti, J. (2024). Charting the Path to Employment After Incarceration: A Research Synthesis of Employment-Focused Reentry Programs.
10. Couloute, L., & Kopf, D. (2018). Out of prison & out of work: Unemployment among formerly incarcerated people. Prison Policy Initiative, 107(5), 1-14.
11. Crawford, K. J. (2023). Hiring Managers Attitudes Regarding Hiring Ex-offenders: A Human Resources Perspective (Doctoral dissertation, Northcentral University).
12. Dar, A. (2018). Using semi-structured interviews to explore employer attitudes towards recruiting ex-offenders.
13. Denise Elizabeth P (2022). Business Owner. A Definition of who are Business Owners, etc. FundsNet.
14. Dorr, B. M. (2021). Employers Willing to Hire Formerly Incarcerated Individuals: A Qualitative Content Analysis - ProQuest.
15. Eloi, K. (2022). Released Offenders Perception of Hiring Managers Cultural Competence. Aspen Journal of Scholarly Works (AJSW), 162.
16. Francis, C. R. (2018). Reentry practitioners' perceptions of constraints during ex-offenders' job search process (Doctoral dissertation, Walden University).
17. Hofmann, S. G., and Hay, A. C. (2018). Rethinking avoidance: Toward a balanced approach to avoidance in treating anxiety disorders. Journal of anxiety disorders, 55, 14-21.
18. House bill to give ex-prisoners a “second chance”, help them land jobs. (n.d.-b). Manila Bulletin. Retrieved from: https://mb.com.ph/2023/5/14/house-bill-to-give-ex-prisoners-a- second-chance- help-them-land-jobs
19. Indeed for employers (2024). What Is the Definition of an Employer?.https://uk.indeed.com/hire/c/info/what-is-the-definition-of-an-employer
20. Jones, J. (2019). A critical examination of employers offering a second chance for employment to Black males with a criminal record.
21. Martin, S. (2022). Exploring the lived experiences of human resources managers hiring applicants with past criminal convictions (Doctoral dissertation, Walden University).
22. Martin, T. E., Huffman, A., Koons-Witt, B. A., and Brame, R. (2020). Hiring people with criminal records in South Carolina: Examining businesses’ hiring practices and views on incentives. Criminal Justice Policy Review, 31(4), 532-554.
23. Mikkelson, S., and Schweitzer, K. (2019). Hiring the formerly incarcerated: The mediating role of morality. Criminal Justice and Behavior, 46(12), 1757-1774.
24. Morzenti, H., and Gringeri, C. (2021). Exploring Employer Perceptions of Hiring Ex-Offenders. CrimRxiv.
25. Nee, W. Y., Singh, J. S. K., and Kularajasingam, J. (2022). Exploring the Perceptions of Malaysian Employers Towards Hiring Ex-Offenders. Journal of Public Administration and Governance, 12(3), 118-118.
26. Nickerson, D. S. (2019). The experience of management employees in employing nonviolent ex-offenders at financial corporations (Doctoral dissertation, Capella University).
27. Nišević, A. J., Bagarić, Ž., and Vargić, B. (2021). Employability of former prisoners in the Republic of Croatia: A survey on employers’ attitudes. In ICERI2021 Proceedings (pp. 8334-8340). IATED.
28. Obatusin, O., and Ritter-Williams, D. (2019). A phenomenological study of employer perspectives on hiring ex-offenders. Cogent Social Sciences, 5(1), 1571730.
29. O'Connor, K., Santos, M. R., and Jaynes, C. M. (2023). How prior experience and belief in redeemability impact employers' willingness to hire applicants with a criminal record. Journal of Criminal Justice, 89, 102128.
30. Onsat, D., and Breva Jr, D. (2023). Factors Affecting Recidivism of Persons Deprived of Liberty at Tabaco City District Jail. JPAIR Multidisciplinary Research, 52(1), 1-12.
31. Pino, J. T., Salibungcogon, R. M., and Villarmia, J. C. (2021). Life after prison. SMCC Higher Education Research Journal (Criminal Justice), 4(1).
32. Riley, T. (2022). Yeah, but would you hire them? An interpretative phenomenological analysis of how employers make sense of hiring ex-offenders (Doctoral dissertation, Northeastern University).
33. Sheppard, A., and Ricciardelli, R. (2020). Employment after prison: Navigating conditions of precarity and stigma. European Journal of Probation, 12(1), 34-52.
34. Smith, C. D. (2021). Exploring the employability of ex-offenders: Employer perspectives (Doctoral dissertation, Walden University).
35. Starks, O. (2018). Employer attitudes and beliefs about hiring post-incarcerated offenders in Mississippi (Doctoral dissertation, Walden University).
36. USDOJ: FBCI: Prisoners and Prisoner Re-Entry. (n.d.-b). https://www.justice.gov/archive/fbci/progmenu_reentry.html
37. Van den Berg, C. J., Blommaert, L., Bijleveld, C. C., and Ruiter, S. (2020). Employment opportunities for ex-offenders: A field experiment on how type of crime and applicants’ ethnic background affect employment opportunities for low-educated men in the Netherlands. Research in Social Stratification and Mobility, 65, 100476.
38. Wiafe, E. A. (2021). Willingness of employers to employ formerly incarcerated individuals among selected SMEs in the western region of Ghana. Cogent Social Sciences, 7(1), 1868670.
39. Palgan, M. D., and Apolinario, R. C. (2022). Walking a new beginning: A case study on the chronicles of ex-offenders in surpassing the challenges of living outside the bars. American Journal of Qualitative Research, 6(1), 178-187.
40. Vivares, K. M., and Cuevas Jr, J. F. (2023). The reintegration of formerly incarcerated individuals in society: A case study.