Book Review

A second chance needed for blacks with criminal records

Culture
Jun 17, 2009

MARKED: RACE, CRIME, AND FINDING WORK IN AN ERA OF MASS INCARCERATION
By Devah Pater
Published by University of Chicago Press, $16

I am still shocked as I edit the final touches to this review. A white job applicant with a criminal record has a better chance of being hired than a black applicant with no criminal record. We now know this thanks to this excellent study by Devah Pager of how a criminal record can be a barrier to employment.