Skip to main content
For people with criminal records
For people with criminal records

Author: Debbie Sadler

Disclosure workshops for individuals – one year on

Back in 2016, we ran two disclosure workshops at HMP Wormwood Scrubs and Pentonville. This was because the organisations working in resettlement felt that individuals in prison were often unaware of where to go to get information and advice about the long term effects of a criminal record and that workshops dealing with all aspects of disclosure would be beneficial to anybody nearing release.

Following the success of these two workshops, we managed to secure a small amount of funding to run a pilot project for a year delivering workshops in prisons/probation offices in Kent.

 

Problems with staffing across the prison estate meant that not all Kent prisons were able to take advantage of the workshops but, feedback from those that did, was extremely positive.

 

“I really enjoyed hearing about the different things to do with disclosure which isn’t explained when you’re in prison. It was really helpful for me as I’m being released very soon”.

Mr A, HMP Elmley

Advertising the workshops on our website created interest from other prisons, both male and female, and in 2017/18 we did a total of 10 workshops right across the country. Workshops were delivered to the main prison population as well as to vulnerable prisoners units where the people on them often find themselves excluded from these types of events. Where necessary, the workshops were adapted to meet the specific needs of the audience.

 

“I’m definitely more informed after the workshop. The speaker was engaging and knew her material in depth. The amount of content gave me additional things to think about and it’s good to know what help is available upon release.”

Mr B, HMP Moorland

We’ve also delivered the workshop to individuals through organisations in the community.

 

“I feel a lot more positive now, a criminal record isn’t necessarily the end of the world. The trainer was friendly, knowledgeable and non-judgemental and I was comfortable asking questions about my own personal situation.”

Ms J, Gravesend Probation

Our intention with these workshops is to not only provide information and advice but to provide an opportunity for attendees to share their own experiences and ask specific questions relating to their own situation. We’ve found that by limiting the number of attendees, this gives everybody the chance to take part.

 

“There was informal questions and answers throughout and the women were encouraged to join in. They were able to clarify the information given and their understanding of it.”

Staff member at HMP Askham Grange

Although the funding we had to run the workshops in Kent has ended, we’re continuing to run the workshops in partnership with other organisations where our costs can be covered.

 

Written by Debbie Sadler, Advice Manager

More information

You can find our more about our workshops for individuals.

If you’re interested in booking a workshop for individuals, please email admin@unlock.org.uk or call 01622 230705.

 

Moving on: Employment after release

This month, we’ve written a further article for InsideTime ‘Through the Gate’ Section which focuses on employment after release.

A copy of the article can be found below.

On release from prison, and possibly for some time after, your conviction will be technically ‘unspent’ – this means you’ll need to disclose it to an employer if you’re asked about it. Depending on the sector you want to work in, it may be more difficult to secure work with an unspent conviction. However, more and more employers are starting to recognise the value that people with convictions bring to the workplace.

Where can you find help to get into work?

As well as the jobcentre and work programme providers, there are recruitment agencies who specialise in finding work for people with convictions. These include Chance 2013, Working Chance (specifically for women with convictions) and Prosper4 (providing a digital job board).

To make sure you get the most benefit from these organisations, we’d always recommend that you tell them the details of your unspent conviction. By voluntarily disclosing your criminal record, you’re placing a lot of trust in your advisor. However, they’re all bound by confidentiality policies and the Data Protection Act and they will definitely appreciate your honesty.

Some employers have blanket bans on recruiting people with unspent convictions, so if your conviction is unspent, then applying for jobs with these employers would be a waste of both their time and yours. However, if you don’t disclose to your jobcentre advisor and they believe you have the necessary skills and experience to do the job, then you’ll usually be expected to apply. If you refuse, you may be sanctioned and lose your benefits for a while. If you disclose your unspent convictions to your advisor you can potentially avoid situations like this.

Friendly employers

Many employers consider individuals with convictions on merit and actively encourage applications from people with convictions. To try to ensure that people with a criminal record get the most positive start to their applications, a number of companies have signed up to the ‘Ban the Box’ campaign. This includes companies like Barclays Bank, Boots, Costain and the Civil Service. These companies have removed the tick box from application forms which ask about convictions – meaning that all applicants are treated the same and given the same opportunity at that stage in the recruitment process.

Several years ago, Unlock started to develop a list of those employers that are known to recruit people with convictions from the community and those that have established direct links with prisons. These include for example, Timpsons, Greggs, Cisco Systems and DHL. The list is available to download at unlock.devchd.com/information-and-advice//friendly or by contacting the Unlock helpline.

However, it’s important not to limit yourself to only applying to these companies. There are many employers that regularly recruit people with convictions but don’t necessarily publicise the fact.

Other issues with getting into work

Very few people are banned from working in certain jobs. Generally, the decision whether to employ you is left to the employer. However if, as a result of your conviction, you have been placed on the children’s or adult’s barred list then you’ll be breaking the law if you seek to work in ‘regulated’ activity with a group from which you are barred.

Also, if you’re on licence one of the standard licence conditions is “Not undertake work, or a particular type of work, unless it is approved by the supervising officer and notify the supervising officer in advance of any proposal to undertake work or a particular type of work”.

The majority of probation officers recognise the importance that work plays in helping to turn lives around and so will often be happy to approve employment unless there are very good reasons why they shouldn’t (for example if you’d be working for a company which could bring you into direct contact with your victim). However, calls to our helpline show that this isn’t always the case. If your probation officer refuses you permission to work for a certain employer or in a certain role, they should provide you with the reason for their decision. If you don’t believe the decision is justified then you may want to consider challenging it. However, before formally appealing ask your probation officer to put their reasons for refusal in writing; you’ll then be completely clear about what you’re appealing.

What does the future hold?

Getting a job with a criminal record is likely to be challenging but definitely not impossible. Many businesses are already raising concerns about the potential lack of workers when the UK leaves the EU in 2019, with many being actively encouraged to consider the talent that many people with convictions have to offer.

Monthly summary – April 2018

Welcome to our monthly summary for April 2018.

This provides a summary of:

  1. the latest updates to our self-help information site for people with convictions
  2. recent posts to our online magazine, theRecord
  3. discussions on our online forum
  4. other news and developments that might be of interest to people with a criminal record

Have you just stumbled across this? You can receive these updates direct to your inbox every month for free by signing up to our mailing list (make sure you choose to receive ‘news for people with convictions’)


Updates to our information site

Here’s a summary of the updates that we’ve made recently to the theInformationHub. There are links within each update to where you can find more information about the update. There are also links next to many of the updates, which link to threads on our online forum where you can discuss these with other people with convictions. 

Criminal record checks for employment

Work and volunteering

  • Pub licensee (Personal licence) – We’ve updated this page to include details of the criminal record checks which are required as part of the application process for a personal licence.

theRecord posts

Below are links to recent posts to our online magazine, theRecord. These are often linked to from the practical information that we have, to help give some personal experiences.

Struggles and stigma – I was rejected from university because of my record, now I’m campaigning for fair treatment – “I didn’t really ever class myself as an academic when I was younger. I didn’t engage at school – learning just didn’t seem to be something I was interested in. But when I found myself at Her Majesty’s pleasure aged 21 it was a pivotal point in my life …..”

Success – Being a ‘juvenile delinquent’ enabled me to get a visa to the USA! – “25 years ago my life was very different to how it is now. To say I was a bad lad is a bit of an understatement; I’d received around 10 convictions before the age of 17 and been to a YOI twice …..”

Struggles and stigma – Why can’t our past mistakes be left in the past? The ongoing impact of a criminal record – “Last year I received a conviction for ‘making indecent images of children’. Having gone through the process of going to court, I had very little understanding of the resulting impact the conviction would have on my life …..”

Success – Changing lives for the better through the power of football – “I’d just come out of Lincoln Prison after serving three-months of a six-month sentence. I was 26 years old and had always been trouble free, but I’d got into a relationship which had spiralled out of control – central to that was a custody battle …..” 

Discussions on our online forum

Below are links to recent posts to our online forum. If you’d like to join in the discussion but are not currently a forum member, find out how you can join here.

New job but a moral dilemma  – RunningMan has just been offered an amazing new job. His conviction is spent and legally he had no requirement to disclose it but his employers have asked him to sign a declaration stating that the information in his application form is true and complete. He’s now worried that he didn’t disclose that he was on the Sex Offenders Register. What would you advise him to do?

Mistakes of the past – Derek has written an interesting post with his views on the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act and how employers and the public at large perceive people with a criminal record, especially those that have spent time in prison. Let us know what you think.

Other news and developments

Below are links to other news and developments that might be of interest to people with a criminal record. For more news, check out the news and media section of our main website.

Spring 2018 newsletter – What we’ve been up to

We’ve published our Spring 2018 newsletter which gives an update of the news at Unlock in the last three months.

Unlock comment on High Court judgement on ‘Right to be Forgotten’ and spent convictions case

Christopher Stacey, Unlocks co-director has commented on the High Court ruling on the ‘Right to be Forgotten’ and spent convictions case. You can read his comments and details of each case here.

Job vacancy at Unlock – Policy and practice lead

We’re currently looking for an exceptional individual who has a track record of influencing policy and practice to take on the role of policy and practice lead. Find out more details and how to apply.

Unlock submission on proposals to amend disclosure rules in Scotland

Unlock has made a submission to the Scottish Government in response to their call for views on the Management of Offenders (Scotland) Bill. Download a copy of the submission.

 

Monthly update – April 2018

We’ve just published our update for April 2018.

 

 

 

 

 

 

This months update includes:

  1. Some new information providing a step-by-step guide to applying for a basic DBS check.
  2. A link to our updated page on pub licensees (personal licence).
  3. A personal story on becoming a qualified football coach with a criminal record.
  4. A link to a discussion on theForum from RunningMan looking for some advice around disclosure following a job offer.
  5. Details of a job vacancy at Unlock for a policy and practice lead.

 

The full update provides a summary of:

  1. the latest updates to our self-help information site for people with convictions
  2. recent posts to our online magazine, theRecord
  3. discussions on our online forum
  4. other news and developments that might be of interest to individuals with a criminal record

 

Read the April 2018 update in full

 

Best wishes,

Unlock

 

Notes

  • All previous updates can be found in full in the ‘Latest updates‘ section of our Information Hub
  • For more self-help information, please visit unlock.devchd.com/information-and-advice/
  • If you have any questions about this information, please contact our helpline
  • If you’ve been forwarded this email, you can sign up to receive these updates directly by clicking here and selecting to receive ‘News/updates for people with convictions’
  • If you have found this information useful, please leave us your feedback and/or consider making a donation.

 

Step-by-step guide to applying for a basic DBS check

From early January 2018, the Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) started carrying out basic criminal record checks.

Following an application made by a member of the Unlock team, we’ve produced a new step-by-step guide to applying directly to the DBS for a basic check using their online self-service channel.

We’re interested in hearing from anybody that’s had any specific problems when applying online for their basic DBS check so that we can feed these issues back to the DBS. You can email us with this at feedback@unlock.org.uk.

For more information

For practical self-help information – More information is available on:

Questions – If you have any questions about this, you can contact our helpline.

 

Job vacancy at Unlock – Policy and practice lead

About the role

This is an exciting opportunity for an exceptional individual with proven experience and potential to take on a senior role in a small team and lead our work in increasing the employment of people with criminal records by supporting and challenging employers to change their recruitment policies and practices, working to prevent unlawful criminal record checks, influencing government policy and working on other policy and practice issues (such as access to higher education).

Us

We are an independent, highly respected social inclusion charity based in Maidstone, Kent. Established in 2000, we provide a voice and support for people with convictions who are facing stigma and obstacles because of their criminal record, often long after they have served their sentence. Unlock has six staff (seven including you), with 2-3 volunteers each day supporting our highly-regarded helpline.

You

  • An ambitious person that has a passion for making a positive difference and challenging inequality
  • Love working in a small team but are self-motivated enough to excel without supervision
  • Are energetic and innovative in your approach
  • Have excellent verbal and written communication skills
  • Have a track record of influencing policy and practice
  • Have a commitment to Unlock’s aims, values and approach
  • Are able to research, write and publish information aimed at a wide range of people
  • Thrive on overcoming difficult situations, identifying emerging trends and bringing together evidence to support broader work, while respecting data protection and confidentiality
  • A past criminal record is not a requirement for this role but nor is it a bar.

Salary & hours

£27,000 per annum. Full time, permanent.

Interested?

Download the recruitment pack for a copy of the job description and person specification.

To apply, send a completed application form along with a CV and concise covering letter (telling us about what you do currently and why you think you are suitable for this role):

  1. By email to – admin@unlock.org.uk (with the subject line ‘Policy & practice lead’) or
  2. By post to – Policy and practice lead, Unlock, MCSC, 39-48 Marsham Street, Maidstone, Kent ME14 1HH.

Closing date for applications: 10am, Monday 14th May 2018

Interviews: To be held on Thursday 24th May in Maidstone

  • If you would like an informal discussion about the role before you apply, you can contact Christopher Stacey, co-director, at christopher.stacey@unlock.org.uk to arrange.
  • If you have any questions about the application form or application process, please call 01622 230705 or email admin@unlock.org.uk.

Some examples of people we’ve helped

Looking back over the last couple of months, we’ve written up a few examples of the people we’ve helped.

We hope they give a good idea of how we help people.

However, more importantly than our role, we think that these examples show how people with convictions are able to overcome some of the barriers that have been put in their way due to their criminal record.

We’ve posted the examples below as case studies in the support section of our website:

 

Andy – Having an application for social housing refused on the basis of a spent conviction

Charlotte – A lack of understanding of the filtering rules meant I was almost refused a place at university

Kelly – Having an insurance policy cancelled due to a comparison company not providing full disclosure

Larry – With little support from the jobcentre or probation after leaving prison, finding employment was extremely difficult

William – Getting information recorded incorrectly on police records removed

 

 

 

Monthly summary – March 2018

Welcome to our monthly summary for March 2018.

This provides a summary of:

  1. the latest updates to our self-help information site for people with convictions
  2. recent posts to our online magazine, theRecord
  3. discussions on our online forum
  4. other news and developments that might be of interest to people with a criminal record

Have you just stumbled across this? You can receive these updates direct to your inbox every month for free by signing up to our mailing list (make sure you choose to receive ‘news for people with convictions’)


Updates to our information site

Here’s a summary of the updates that we’ve made recently to the theInformationHub. There are links within each update to where you can find more information about the update. There are also links next to many of the updates, which link to threads on our online forum where you can discuss these with other people with convictions. 

Seven stages of a criminal record

Work and volunteering

  • Becoming a police officer – We’ve updated this page to include links to the College of Policing APP Vetting together with details of the vetting process for non-police personnel.

Travelling abroad

  • Travelling abroad – We’ve updated our landing page to make it easier to search for information on travel to specific countries.
  • Travelling to China – We’ve produced some new information on travelling to China which sets out details of whether you will require a visa to travel and if so, whether you’ll need to disclose your criminal record.

Insurance

  • A detailed guide to insurance and convictions  – We’ve updated this guide to provide links to the Financial Ombudsman’s decisions made in favour of individuals who’ve reported cases of unfair treatment by two insurance companies.

theRecord posts

Below are links to recent posts to our online magazine, theRecord. These are often linked to from the practical information that we have, to help give some personal experiences.

Success – My new life began to grow in a garden – starting again with a criminal record – “Two years ago I received a conviction for possession of extreme adult pornography. My life would have been ruined if it wasn’t for the support I had from my family and friends …..”

Struggles and stigma – Having my wings clipped by an old conviction – how my criminal record stopped me travelling with my family – “At the end of last year, I was told that one of my family who lives in the Caribbean was extremely ill and had only been given a short amount of time to live. I immediately went online to find the cheapest flight so me and my family could go and see my relative before they died. After hours of looking, I managed to find a cheap flight which transited in Canada, so I hastily went ahead and booked the tickets …..”

Success – Learning to read in prison has opened so may doors! – “I must have been about 6 years old when I started school but I’d left by the time I was 9. I thought it was boring, a waste of time plus I had no friends to play with – as a traveller girl, I found it difficult to make friends outside my own community …..”

Discussions on our online forum

Below are links to recent posts to our online forum. If you’d like to join in the discussion but are not currently a forum member, find out how you can join here.

International Travel: Interpol Green Notices  – BenS wants to know whether it’s mandatory for the PPU to issue a green notice when somebody is travelling abroad whilst on the SOR or, whether it’s a discretionary decision. Can anybody help?

Shock, horror a somewhat positive experience – Derek has posted details of his recent visit to the job centre, which he found to be quite positive. Tell us about your own experiences.

Other news and developments

Below are links to other news and developments that might be of interest to people with a criminal record. For more news, check out the news and media section of our main website.

Criminal record disclosure training

We’re taking bookings for our ‘Advising with Conviction’ workshops which will take place on selected dates in 2018. Find out more information about what the training covers and how to book.

 

Monthly update – March 2018

We’ve just published our update for March 2018.

 

 

 

 

 

 

This months update includes:

  1. Some new information providing an overview of the areas of life that can be affected by a criminal record.
  2. A link to our updated page on travelling abroad.
  3. A personal story from Margaret about her experiences of learning to read in prison and what she’s done since her release.
  4. A link to a discussion on theForum from Derek about his experience of a recent visit to the jobcentre.
  5. Details of our ‘Advising with Conviction’ workshops taking place during 2018.

 

The full update provides a summary of:

  1. the latest updates to our self-help information site for people with convictions
  2. recent posts to our online magazine, theRecord
  3. discussions on our online forum
  4. other news and developments that might be of interest to individuals with a criminal record

 

Read the March 2018 update in full

 

Best wishes,

Unlock

 

Notes

  • All previous updates can be found in full in the ‘Latest updates‘ section of our Information Hub
  • For more self-help information, please visit unlock.devchd.com/information-and-advice/
  • If you have any questions about this information, please contact our helpline
  • If you’ve been forwarded this email, you can sign up to receive these updates directly by clicking here and selecting to receive ‘News/updates for people with convictions’
  • If you have found this information useful, please leave us your feedback and/or consider making a donation.

 

An overview of the areas of life that can be affected by a criminal record

As part of our ‘seven stages of a criminal record’ (which we launched recently) we’ve put together an overview of the areas of life that can be affected by a criminal record.

Download: Overview of the areas of life that can be affected by a criminal record

Whether you’re looking for work, applying to university or purchasing insurance, this table will hopefully help you to determine what you will or won’t need to disclose during each of the seven stages of your criminal record.

It’s the first time we’ve tried to do something like this, and we’d really like to know what you think of it and how it could be improved. You can email us at feedback@unlock.org.uk or complete our feedback form.

 

We want to make sure that our website is as helpful as possible.

Letting us know if you easily found what you were looking for or not enables us to continue to improve our service for you and others.

Was it easy to find what you were looking for?

Thank you for your feedback.

12.5 million people have criminal records in the UK. We need your help to help them.

Help support us now