TO SUPPLEMENT THE LITERARY REVIEW, SOME LIMITED ORIGINAL RESEARCH WAS DONE INCLUDING TELEPHONE INTERVIEWS WITH EMPLOYERS AND EMPLOYMENT ASSISTANCE STAFF AS WELL AS A REVIEW OF COMPANY FILES KEPT IN TWO AREA OFFICES OF THE OFFICE OF FEDERAL CONTRACT COMPLIANCE PROGRAMS. THE STUDIES REVIEWED SUGGEST THAT PUBLIC AND PRIVATE EMPLOYERS USE A VARIETY OF METHODS TO GAIN CRIMINAL RECORD INFORMATION ON JOB APPLICANTS. A SIMILARLY SMALL PROPORTION OF ALL PRIVATE EMPLOYERS DO NOT CONSIDER CRIMINAL RECORD INFORMATION RELEVANT TO EMPLOYMENT DECISIONS. MOST PUBLIC SECTOR EMPLOYERS PRESENT UNYIELDING BARRIERS TO OFFENDER EMPLOYMENT. 'CREDENTIALING' (I.E. TESTIMONIES TO THE OFFENDER'S TRUSTWORTHINESS AND JOB READINESS BY ACQUAINTANCES OR PROBATION OFFICERS) IS NOT THOUGHT TO BE AS SIGNIFICANT FOR PUBLIC EMPLOYERS AS IT IS FOR PRIVATE FIRMS. IN ADDITION, RECENT OFFENDERS IN SKILLED OR WHITE-COLLAR JOBS ARE PARTICULARY AFFECTED BY EMPLOYER-CREATED BARRIERS, WHICH MAY NOT BE OVERCOME BY TIME, EDUCATION, OR TRAINING. SUGGESTIONS FOR REDUCING THE UNEMPLOYMENT OR UNDEREMPLOYMENT OF EX-OFFENDERS INCLUDE TAX-CREDITS FOR EMPLOYERS, SPECIAL EX-OFFENDER EMPLOYMENT ADVOCATES, AND GOVERNMENT CREDENTIALING PROGRAMS. FOOTNOTES, TABLES, AND OVER 100 REFERENCES ARE INCLUDED. TECHNICAL NOTES ARE APPENDED.