Ex-prisoner Fitting into Working Environment: Imputs for Organizational Context

Abstract

Although ex-prisoners face lower chances of obtaining and maintaining employment compared to many diversity groups (such as individuals with disabilities or ethnic and gender minorities), the movement to promote their re-entry into the workforce has emerged in the past two decades. Moreover, ex-prisoners contend with multiple disadvantages stemming from their past lives and experiences during their criminal careers. Most research has concentrated on preparing ex-prisoners for the labor market, while studies exploring the readiness of the organizational context for their re-entry are lacking. This work aims to examine the organizational diversity culture and climate related to the reintegration of ex-prisoners into the workplace, drawing on a literary review. Recommendations for diversity-related policies and practices concerning ex-prisoners, as well as broader societal implications, are discussed. The re-entry of ex-prisoners into the workforce extends beyond personal or group responsibility; it requires the engagement of the entire society