Results of the study confirmed previous findings that job searching with a history of drugs and crime presents a myriad of individual, institutional, and labor market barriers to securing and sustaining paid work. The participants expressed that employment was a critical component of their drug abuse recovery and most participants considered themselves ready for steady employment. Most participants had worked previously, had vocational qualifications, and were undertaking unpaid work as part of their community sentence. Most participants believed that their employability was limited by employer discrimination. As a result, many delayed disclosure of their criminal history or denied it to their prospective employers. The findings suggest that some employers are discriminating against prospective employees with criminal and drug pasts. Policy measures designed to decrease the perceived risk for employers, such as state-guaranteed insurance, may help alleviate employer reluctance. Follow-up research should focus on a multisite design capable of making comparisons by gender, age, and ethnicity. Participants were 27 men and 2 women who were involved with court orders in Scotland from June to August 2001. Participants, who were purposively recruited using criminal justice social workers in two local authority areas in Scotland, completed group interviews that focused on work experiences, job searching experiences, job-readiness, aspirations, and self-employment. Interviews were transcribed and analyzed for emerging themes. Table, note, references