Narratives of Commitment: Looking for Work with a Criminal Record

Abstract

Unemployment is one of the most often cited barriers to reentry, yet we know little about how understandings of work inform the job-search strategies of men and women with felon status. How and why do individuals remain committed to the legitimate labor market and continue their search for employment? We categorized interviews from 38 Milwaukee County residents into four narrative typologies that (1) reflected understandings of work and job market challenges and (2) mapped onto reported job-search strategies. Findings inform discussions about reentry and stigma that have yet to draw on narratives of commitment to the labor market.