unemployment rate during any historical period, including the Great Depression. 1 Our analysis shows that formerly incarcerated people are unemployed at a rate of over 27% - higher than the total U.S. Using a nationally representative dataset, we provide the first ever estimate of unemployment among the 5 million formerly incarcerated people living in the United States. But how many formerly incarcerated people are able to find work? Answering this fundamental question has historically been difficult, because the necessary national data weren’t available - that is, until now.
Unemployment among formerly incarcerated peopleīy Lucius Couloute and Daniel Kopf Tweet thisįormerly incarcerated people need stable jobs for the same reasons as everyone else: to support themselves and their loved ones, pursue life goals, and strengthen their communities.
