NSCR REPORT: Employers prefer native white ex-felon over applicant of non-western descent with no criminal record.

It was a collaborative study of the NSCR, UU, VU and Radboud University. The question: what are the chances on the job market for ex-felons? The reseachers sent out 520 mock application letters to real job openings.

The letters were all identical, each ‘applicant’ had the same set of skills. In the resumés they systematically varied the type of crime – violent crime, property crime and sex crime – and no crime. Another variable was ethnicity.

(Un)expected conclusion: if your name is Johan or Kees and you were convicted of a violent crime, there’s a 28% chance you’ll be invited for a job interview. Is your name Youssef or N'gunda and you’re a law-abiding citizen of the Netherlands, the prospect of getting a positive reaction is 9%.