Knocking on the Ivory Tower's Door: The Experience of Ex-Convicts Applying for Tenure-Track University Positions

Type of content
Journal Article
Thesis discipline
Degree name
Publisher
University of Canterbury. School of Social and Political Sciences
University of Canterbury. Sociology
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Language
Date
2011
Authors
Ross, J.
Richards, S.
Newbold, G.
Lenza, R.
Murphy, D.
Hogan, R.
Curry, D.
Jones, R. S.
Abstract

This article reports the results of an investigation involving a select number of former prisoners with completed PhDs, who applied for work as tenure-track criminology/criminal justice professors. It attempts to place into context the literature on ex-convicts’ employment, the hiring process at academic institutions, and the experiences of ex-convicts with PhDs competing for academic jobs at colleges and universities. The findings are based on the personal experiences of ex-convict university professors, gathered through a questionnaire. Analysis of responses reveals little evidence of perceived prejudice against former criminals at the recruitment and interview stages. However, the hiring stage may be more problematic. In part, results suggest that the impact of a criminal conviction on employment chances may depend on the point at which disclosure about a felonious past is made.

Description
Citation
Ross, J., Richards, S., Newbold, G., Jones, R.S., Lenza, R., Murphy, D., Hogan, R., Curry, D. (2011) Knocking on the Ivory Tower's Door: The Experience of Ex-Convicts Applying for Tenure-Track University Positions. Journal of Criminal Justice Education, 22(2), pp. 267-285.
Keywords
Ngā upoko tukutuku/Māori subject headings
ANZSRC fields of research
Fields of Research::39 - Education::3903 - Education systems::390303 - Higher education
Field of Research::16 - Studies in Human Society::1602 - Criminology::160299 - Criminology not elsewhere classified
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