A New Standard in Background Screening
A better hiring decision starts where the background check stops
Bushway Opportunity Score™ adds research-based context to criminal record information so employers can make more consistent, individualized hiring decisions.
Delivered through licensed partners as an add-on to the background screening workflow employers already use.
30%
of U.S. men have a conviction record
Many
are lower risk than employers assume — but standard checks rarely provide that context
2
major EEOC-approved settlement frameworks have incorporated the underlying methodology
0
major background screening providers currently offer the Bushway Opportunity Score™
That market gap is what Bushway Works is built to solve.
The Problem
Employers aren't missing
criminal history data —
they're missing decision support.
FOR EMPLOYERS
When a background check reveals a conviction, most employers face a difficult judgment call with no research-backed, consistent, defensible decision-support tool.
FOR HR & COMPLIANCE TEAMS
Many teams lack a structured framework for consistent, thoughtful application of criminal record information, leading to time-consuming, inconsistent outcomes.
FOR JOB SEEKERS
Many working-age Americans have a criminal record. Research shows clearly that most have a low risk for a new conviction. Nonetheless, a single conviction can stall a candidacy before an employer sees the full picture.
FOR BACKGROUND SCREENING COMPANIES
Most screening companies provide criminal history data but not a research-based risk indicator to help employers interpret that data more consistently.
What is the Bushway Opportunity Score™
Science that brings
clarity to hiring
decisions
The Bushway Opportunity Score™ uses a research-validated methodology to estimate relative reconviction risk for individuals with criminal conviction records. It produces a single, standardized risk indicator delivered as an add-on to a standard background check from your screening company.
When a background check reveals a conviction, employers often need more than a record summary. The Bushway Opportunity Score™ provides a structured, research-based signal that can support more informed, consistent review — alongside employer judgment, existing policies, and individualized assessment where appropriate.
Developed by Dr. Shawn D. Bushway, a leading criminologist whose underlying methodology has been incorporated into criminal-history review frameworks used in two major EEOC-approved settlement matters.
The score is informed by factors such as:
Age at time of screening
Time since convictions
Number of prior convictions
Nature and pattern of prior convictions
How it works in practice
Your background screening company calculates the Bushway Opportunity Score™ from the same criminal history data they already collect — and delivers it alongside the standard report, together with employer guidance on what the score represents and how it may be used as one input in hiring review.
1
You order a background check from your screening company as usual.
2
A conviction appears. The screening company calculates and delivers the Bushway Opportunity Score™ alongside the report.
3
Score plus guidance. You receive the score plus simple guidance explaining what it means and how it may be considered as one factor in your hiring process — helping your team apply a more consistent and structured review.
How It Works
Three steps.
A clearer framework.
01
Standard Background Check
Your background screening company runs its normal FCRA-governed screening process. No new data sources. No new forms. Just your existing workflow.
02
Score Calculated as Add-On
The criminal history record from the background check is evaluated using the Bushway Opportunity Score™ model. The screening company — or another licensed implementation partner — calculates the score using the licensed methodology within its own workflow.
03
Score & Guidance Delivered
You receive a single Bushway Opportunity Score™ with the background check, along with simple materials that explain what the score represents and how it can be used as one factor in the hiring process.
Why It Matters
Better decisions.
For everyone.
⚖️
Supports Individualized Review
The Bushway Opportunity Score™ helps employers identify candidates who may be appropriate to move forward with less friction, while preserving the option to conduct an individualized assessment whenever the employer deems it appropriate. The underlying methodology has been incorporated into two major EEOC-approved settlement frameworks.
🏢
Expanded Talent Pool
Millions of Americans have criminal records, and many are qualified workers whose records alone may overstate current risk. The Bushway Opportunity Score™ helps employers identify candidates they may have been overlooking.
🎯
More Context
The Bushway Opportunity Score™ weighs factors associated with reconviction risk — giving employers a more structured way to interpret criminal record information beyond the record alone.
🛡️
More Consistent. More Defensible
Using a scientifically grounded, consistently applied scoring tool can support a more structured and individualized review process, help reduce reliance on blanket exclusions, and give HR teams a more repeatable framework for handling conviction-related hiring decisions.
⚡
Faster & More Focused
Individualized review can be slow and resource-intensive when applied the same way to every flagged applicant. The Bushway Opportunity Score™ helps employers focus additional review where it may be most warranted — without creating a new workflow for every candidate.
📊
Science-Backed
Built on decades of criminology research by Dr. Shawn D. Bushway, one of the nation's leading experts on criminal desistance and recidivism. This is not a gut check — it is rigorous, peer-reviewed research translated into a practical hiring decision-support tool.
Why Trust It
Built on decades of research.
Applied in real-world
employment frameworks.
The Bushway Opportunity Score™ is not new thinking — it is the practical application of rigorous academic research to a real-world hiring challenge.
Bushway Works develops and licenses a proprietary scoring methodology. Bushway Works does not obtain, prepare, or furnish consumer reports in the ordinary course of its business. Licensed partners implement the methodology within their own screening and hiring workflows, subject to their own legal, compliance, and operational review.
✓ Validated through decades of peer-reviewed criminology research
✓ Underlying methodology incorporated into two major EEOC-approved settlement frameworks
✓ Regularly reviewed and updated to reflect the best available science
✓ Designed for integration into existing screening workflows, subject to partner legal and compliance review
The Science Behind the Score
Dr. Shawn D. Bushway
Dr. Bushway is one of the nation's leading criminologists, with decades of research on criminal desistance, recidivism, and the labor market consequences of criminal records. His work translates rigorous academic research into actionable, data-driven strategies for navigating complex criminal justice and employment decisions.
FAQ’s
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The Bushway Opportunity Score™ provides a standardized, research-based indicator of relative reconviction risk for candidates with criminal conviction records. It is designed to help employers interpret criminal record information more consistently and thoughtfully as part of a broader hiring review.
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The score is informed by criminology research and uses factors associated with reconviction risk, such as age at time of screening, time since last offense, number of prior convictions, and the nature and pattern of prior convictions. Exact implementation details may vary based on the licensed deployment model. text goes here
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No. The Bushway Opportunity Score™ is a decision-support tool, not a replacement for employer judgment or individualized review. It can help employers determine when additional individualized assessment may be warranted — and when a candidate may be appropriate to move forward under a more structured, consistent framework. Employers may always choose to conduct individualized assessment based on their policies, risk tolerance, and applicable law.
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The Bushway Opportunity Score™ is designed to support more consistent, individualized review of criminal record information. It is not an EEOC-certified or EEOC-approved product, and no score can guarantee legal compliance. Employers remain responsible for their own hiring decisions and for complying with applicable federal, state, and local laws. description
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The Bushway Opportunity Score™ should be used as one input in the hiring process — alongside the background report, job-related considerations, employer policy, business necessity, and individualized assessment where appropriate. It is intended to support more informed and consistent review, not to make the hiring decision by itself. description
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The Bushway Opportunity Score™ is delivered as an add-on to the background screening workflow through licensed partners. Depending on the implementation model, it may be presented alongside or in connection with the background report and related employer guidance.
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No. Bushway Works is a research-driven data science and licensing company that develops and licenses proprietary scoring methodologies and related decision-support tools for use in employment screening and hiring workflows. We do not obtain, prepare, or furnish consumer reports in the ordinary course of our business. Licensed partners are responsible for implementing the methodology within their own screening and hiring workflows. Whether and how any implementation is treated under the Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA) depends on the specific facts, deployment model, and partner role.
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The Bushway Opportunity Score™ is designed to be integrated into existing screening workflows operated by licensed partners. Because FCRA obligations depend on how a solution is implemented and used, legal compliance is determined by the specific deployment and partner practices — not by the score alone. Licensed partners are responsible for ensuring their use complies with applicable law. description
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Most screening providers still deliver criminal history data without a standardized, research-based reconviction risk indicator. Bushway Works is working to change that by licensing the Bushway Opportunity Score™ to screening providers and implementation partners. Employer demand helps accelerate adoption. description
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No. The Bushway Opportunity Score™ is not a hiring decision engine. It is a decision-support tool designed to add context to criminal record information and support more consistent review. Final hiring decisions remain with the employer. description