Items under Employment

College After Prison: A Review of the Literature on Barriers and Supports to Postsecondary Education for Formerly Incarcerated College Students

The white paper was co-authored by Vernisa M. Donaldson and Christopher Viera of the City University of New York (CUNY) Office of Research, Evaluation, and Program Support (REPS) as part of their contracted evaluation of College Initiative. The white paper synthesizes existing literature around higher education for formerly incarcerated individuals and describes the need for more work in this area.

Getting the Record Straight: A Guide to Navigating Background Checks

This guide is designed to help people with conviction records navigate the individual, institutional, and systemic barriers erected by background checks. It is common for people to feel nervous or stigmatized when going through a background check. Preparing in advance can help the experience become less intimidating. This guide will help readers understand what appears on a conviction record, prepare for a background check, be ready to respond to questions, and more.

Getting to Work with a Criminal Record: New York State License Guides (2020 Expanded Edition)

The New York State License Guides explain the process for obtaining licenses in 25, high-demand occupations and professions for people who have conviction records. These guides aim to dispel the myths and misinformation that may discourage people with convictions from pursuing employment and career pathways that are actually available to them. There is a common misconception that a conviction record makes licensing impossible; in fact, 86 percent of people with conviction records who applied for New York State occupational licensing in 2018 were approved.

Getting to Work with a Criminal Record: NYS License Guides

This series of License Guides serves to support justice-involved individuals and advocates navigating the licensing process for 10 occupations in New York State. Developed in partnership with Youth Represent, PRI's License Guides include a comprehensive and accessible overview of the licensing process for each occupation, as well as a glossary of key legal terms and information on additional resources.