Allen Gorman, Ph.D.Approximately 600,000 individuals are released from prisons in the United States each year, and many face overwhelming barriers to employment. According to the U.S. Department of Justice, 95 percent of incarcerated individuals would be released at some point, and they will require support for reentering and integrating into the workforce.

A new multidisciplinary study led by researchers at the University of Alabama at Birmingham was published in the Journal of Vocational Behavior and offers a comprehensive framework for improving employment outcomes for formerly incarcerated individuals, referred to as FIIs.

“Our goal was to move beyond broad calls for fair chance hiring and provide a structured, evidence-based roadmap for workforce reintegration,” said C. Allen Gorman, Ph.D., lead researcher and professor of management at the UAB Collat School of Business. “We took 25 years of research across disciplines to examine every phase of the employment life cycle from recruitment to retention to provide practical tips for employers.”

At UAB, Gorman’s team comprised Sarah C. Tucker, Ph.D., assistant professor of occupational therapy in the School of Health Professions; Tamanna K. Patel, current business student; and alumna Tanya Contreras. They found that FIIs are often excluded from job opportunities due to stigma and lack of vocational training.

“In our research, we learned that employers who hire FIIs report strong work ethic, loyalty and improved workforce performance; but there is a disconnect between correctional education and labor market demands,” Gorman said. “If we can connect the two, we can make a difference for both FIIs and the economy.”

Researchers divided workforce reentry into five stages: recruitment, selection, onboarding, development and retention. They used the collected data to form a framework of practical tips and strategies to make the reentry of FIIs more feasible and accessible.

Recruitment

• Partner with community organizations: Collaborate with reentry nonprofits, parole offices and workforce development agencies to identify qualified candidates.
• Host second-chance hiring fairs: These events create low-barrier entry points and build trust with job seekers.
• Frame hiring as a talent strategy: Internally position second-chance hiring as a way to fill hard-to-staff roles and strengthen workforce capabilities.
• Bundle support services: Offer transportation, housing referrals and mentoring to improve early job stability.
• Track and share success metrics: Use retention and performance data to build internal support and reduce stigma.

Selection

• Use job-relevant screening: Replace blanket exclusions, automatic disqualifications based on having “any” criminal record with offense-task linkages that evaluate whether a specific offense is directly related to the responsibilities of the job.
• Offer plain-language assessments: Accommodate lower literacy levels with simplified tests and extra time.
• Train hiring managers: Educate staff on fair-chance protocols, policies designed to remove systemic barriers to employment and housing for individuals with criminal records and trauma-informed interviewing.
• Leverage asynchronous video interviews: These reduce logistical barriers and widen geographic reach.
• Validate selection tools: Ensure that assessments predict job performance and do not disproportionately exclude FIIs.

Onboarding

• Assign peer mentors: Pair new hires with mentors to accelerate socialization.
• Provide trauma-informed orientation: Clarify workplace norms and reduce anxiety linked to post-incarceration stress.
• Create structured onboarding plans: Include check-ins, goal setting and feedback loops to support adjustment.
• Foster identity reconstruction: Help FIIs see themselves as valued employees and contributors to the organization.

Development

• Ensure access to training: Provide high-quality learning opportunities to offset educational gaps.
• Monitor advancement metrics: Track promotions and performance to identify growth opportunities.
• Train supervisors to counter bias: Encourage inclusive leadership and fair evaluation practices.
• Showcase success stories: Highlight FII achievements to reduce stigma and inspire others.

Sarah Tucker, Ph.D.Retention

• Place FIIs in meaningful roles: Stability and purpose reduce turnover and recidivism, the tendency of a convicted criminal to reoffend.
• Cultivate a positive culture: Reduce stigma through empathy-building and team integration.
• Provide ongoing support: Offer coaching, development and fair supervision to sustain engagement.
• Leverage prior success: Organizations with FII experience are more likely to continue hiring — build on that momentum.

“For FIIs, employment is a pathway to dignity, stability and full reintegration into society,” Tucker said. “By investing in modern, evidence-based hiring practices and creating supportive workplace cultures, we can strengthen communities and unlock the potential of thousands of individuals who want to contribute.”