Investigating the Impact of Prior Criminal Justice Contact on Labor Market Outcomes During the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Propensity Score Analysis

Abstract

Using data from the National Longitudinal Survey of Youth 1997 (NLSY97) and a supplemental COVID sample of NLSY97 respondents, we examined the associations between three measures of criminal justice contact and several indicators of labor market participation during the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic. Findings indicated that a history of adult criminal justice contact was associated with higher odds of being out of the labor market during the pandemic. However, among those in the workforce, criminal justice contact was also associated with higher odds of stopping work, working reduced hours, experiencing decreased wages, not working from home, and having close contact with others at work. Additional analyses suggest that deeper levels of contact were sometimes associated with worse outcomes.