Researchers have attempted to explain the withdrawal of many healthy adult men from the American workforce through traditional economics frameworks, such as overseas competition and increased automation of traditional blue-collar jobs, which are often cheaper options for companies looking to save money on labor. However, detailed investigation indicates that increased offshoring and automation fail to fully explain this drop in labor participation. Instead, this investigation yields data that suggest only a multiplicity of causes can wholly account for widespread male retreat from the workforce. One cause is criminal records: nearly one in eight American men possesses a criminal history, and that disqualifies candidates in the eyes of most potential employers. Another cause is low educational attainment, which diminishes access to an increasingly technical and information-based economy. In light of this investigation, which indicates that multiple social forces have converged to exclude a major swath of the potential working population of the United States, the government should take action to improve poor outcomes for these “missing men.” Legislators should take action to lessen the stigma of criminal convictions, advocate programs proven to reduce recidivism, increase financial support for young people looking to pursue higher education, and provide specialized training for young men who express an interest in the technology-driven fields of the new economy.