The proportion of the U.S. population with a criminal record has dramatically increased during the past four decades, and research has documented the ways in which a criminal record creates and reinforces inequalities in employment, health, and other outcomes. However, less is known about how a criminal record affects access to housing. This project will identify the prevalence and scope of criminal record use to disqualify applicants at an early stage of the housing application process. It will also detect whether there are racial disparities in the consideration of criminal histories by landlords. It examines if neighborhood disadvantage conditions the stigmatizing effect of a criminal record. Finally, it advances understanding of how landlords weigh criminal background checks and how they implement recent changes in the laws that require use of criminal histories in these transactions. Project findings will provide greater understanding of how U.S. housing policy is working, particularly for those with criminal backgrounds.
This project consists of a field experiment and qualitative interviews. An email-based audit study of rental housing units will involve contacting landlords and inquiring to see the rental properties. These emails will signal race and the criminal history status of the potential applicants. The audit study will be paired with interviews with landlords about how they use criminal histories in the application process, and their understanding of recent policy changes regarding criminal record use in such evaluations. This research will contribute to a growing body of findings on the durable effects of criminal justice contact, as well as socio-legal research on how property managers adapt to and comply with policy changes. It also contributes to sociological theories focused on discrimination, racial inequality and urban residence.
This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.
