Daytime Locations in Spatial Mismatch: Job Accessibility and Employment at Reentry From Prison

Area of Science:

• Criminology
• Urban Studies
• Labor Economics

Background:

• Employment barriers for formerly incarcerated individuals are significant.
• Spatial mismatch, where job seekers and opportunities are geographically separated, is a key challenge.
• Previous research on residential location's impact on reentry outcomes yielded mixed results.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the role of both residential and daytime locations in employment outcomes for individuals recently released from prison.
• To assess the importance of spatial mismatch considering dynamic daily movements versus static residential data.

Main Methods:

• Utilized novel, real-time GPS data on daytime locations.
• Collected self-reported employment data via smartphones.
• Integrated sophisticated measures of job accessibility with location data.

Main Results:

• Daytime location significantly impacts employment success, complementing residential data.
• Individuals can overcome residential disadvantages by traveling to job-rich areas.
• The dynamic nature of daily mobility is crucial for understanding spatial mismatch.

Conclusions:

• Static residential measures are insufficient for capturing employment challenges faced by reentry populations.
• Daytime location and travel patterns are critical, often overlooked factors in employment reentry.
• Policy and support systems should consider the dynamic geographic realities of formerly incarcerated individuals seeking work.