Hidden Costs of Ban the Box Laws: Unraveling the Effects on Drug‐Related Deaths

Ban the Box (BTB) laws delay criminal background checks until the later stages of the hiring process. This study provides new evidence that BTB laws that apply to both private and public employers have negative spillover effects beyond labor market outcomes. Drawing on data from the National Vital Statistics System (NVSS), I investigate the impact of BTB laws on drug-related mortality. Two years after adoption, BTB laws are associated with more than a 35 percent increase in drug-related mortality among Black and Hispanic men. The main mechanism appears to be diminished labor opportunities. BTB adoption reduces wages and the probability of employment among Black and Hispanic men.