Peer 1: David

I agree with your breakdown of Devah Pager’s research question as an analysis of how criminal records influence a person’s chances of finding a job and how race of the offender affect the process. The variables are stipulated in a way that is understandable and are well explained. I particularly concur with your reasoning regarding why the audit study was necessary. The idea of isolating the variables in order to establish a relationship between them was a central tenet to the study. No other research methodology would fit the situation. Your position on the importance of the findings of the study is a major strength of your analysis. It gives a highlight of what the study intended to unearth and what it actually found it. Further, your research question on the state of racism in the United States is a good icebreaker for future studies and a point of reference for other explorations into the issue of having a criminal record and an attempt to secure a job.

Peer 2: Ivan

I concur with your summarization of Devah Pager’s research question and the inclusion of all of the issues she mentions in her study. Likewise, I agree with your inclusion of job qualification as an independent variable, something I had completely overlooked because I found race and criminal records to be the main independent variables. I agree with your assertion that the probability to be hired is the dependent variable. One of the major strengths of your analysis is how it uses information given by Pager in her research to form the basis of your evaluation. Your summing up of the main findings and what they mean to the American society is refreshing, since it introduces the issue of the criminal justice system and the role that the system plays in ensuring that people with criminal records are safely reintegrated into their societies. The mention of Pager’s recommendation is also important and one that must be explored in the future.