Sexual misconduct and evaluation of candidate appropriateness for employment within a nonpublic-facing role

Abstract

Employment is a barrier for individuals with a prior sexual offence. This study examined employability for a non-public-facing, low-skilled job, before and after a disclosure and barring service (DBS) check. The DBS check revealed either (i) rape, (ii) sexual activity with a child, (iii) possession of indecent photographs of children, or (iv) no criminal conviction. We measured ratings of trustworthiness, company value, and suitability for the role before and after the disclosure. Participants were then invited to keep or reject the candidate. As predicted, those with a prior sexual offence were perceived as less trustworthy, valuable, or suitable for employment. Contact offences received higher rejections (sexual activity with a child 49%, rape, 38%) than possession of photographs of children (32%). This data indicates discrimination still occurs when a DBS check is provided after an initial hiring decision. Directions for future research for enhancing employment opportunities are discussed.