| Description |
This thesis relates two bodies of existing research: (1) the use of capabilities as the basis for a theory of justice and (2) labor market reentry barriers created by conviction history. The capabilities approach is an alternative analytical framework to understanding social justice than alternatives such as utilitarian, luck egalitarian, or contractarian conceptions. The discussion of economic implications of conviction history on labor market opportunities already exists in economic literature. However, research which has been done to this point has predominantly utilized a limited neoclassical framework. This results in analyses which do not convey the full picture of justice. Capabilities consider a broader range of human functioning while remaining rooted in the economic concerns of decision making and resource distribution. Literature in other social-sciences (such as sociology and criminology) has dealt with the non-monetary implications of conviction history for labor-market entry. As the capabilities approach remains on the margins of economic discussion, I argue for its fitness to examine economic issues of social justice. I take the opportunity to introduce this approach to the subject of post-conviction labor market barriers. By using the capabilities lens to examine this topic, I aim to demonstrate its effectiveness beyond theory. To fully discuss the labor market-related capability deprivations caused by conviction history requires international comparisons. The U.S. context can (and must) be compared to other cultures and nations. Italy is a country of comparative interest to me, but this is by no means a strict limitation. The potential implications of using the capabilities lens extend globally and are promising for the development of justice-aware policies in all aspects of increasingly modern and iii globalized societies. Current discussions, research, and policy relating to topics of social justice stand to benefit greatly from the depth of understanding and codified language afforded by capabilities scholarship. |
