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For people with criminal records
For people with criminal records

Author: Debbie Sadler

Monthly Update – January 2016

We’ve just published our update for January 2016.

 

 

 

 

 

 

This months updates include:

  1. Updated information about convictions for sexual offences which reflect the changes to civil orders such as Sexual Offences Prevention Orders (SOPO’s)
  2. A personal experience of being refused a work placement as part of a college course and the impact made by launching an online petition
  3. Three short stories based on the experiences people with convictions have had when seeking work
  4. A link to the result of the legal challenge to the Governments disproportionate criminal records disclosure scheme.

 

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. other news and developments that might be of interest to individuals with a criminal record

 

Read the January 2016 update in full here

 

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.

 

European criminal record checks

Introduction

In November 2015, the Disclosure and Barring Service launched a pilot to test access to criminal record information from the European Union (EU). The trial will run until April 2016.

The pilot is the first of its kind for the UK Government and will be jointly run by the Disclosure and Barring Service, the Home Office and the UK Central Authority (UKCA). The pilot will concentrate on enhanced disclosure checks for any individual seeking to work with children and where the nationality on the application form indicates they are a Dutch or Latvian national. The Netherlands and Latvia have expressed their support for this initiative.

Why are the DBS doing this?

Currently, the DBS cannot guarantee that the criminal records, from the country of origin for overseas applicants, are available to prospective employers. Whilst the DBS provides employers with guidance on how to access certificates of good conduct from countries outside the UK, there is no evidence to suggest that this is consistently accessed and used.

The pilot will enable employers access to relevant criminal record information (via the DBS) for any applicant from the Netherlands or Latvia. This will include applicants with dual nationality in one of these countries.

The pilot is expected to affect 3,500 applications over the course of the six month period.

Upgrade to ECRIS

In addition to this, the European Commission has just put forward proposals to upgrade the European Criminal Records Information System (ECRIS) in order to facilitate the exchange of criminal records of non-EU citizens. It believes that this will improve cooperation between national authorities in the fight against terrorism and other forms of serious cross border crime.

For more information relating to convictions obtained overseas see here.

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:

Benny – Success with the Scouts

Lee – Negotiating disclosure with the police

Sharmini – Disclosing a conviction in a different way

 

Monthly Update – December 2015

We’ve just published our update for December 2015.

 

 

 

 

 

 

This months updates include:

  1. Information about restraining orders including when they become spent, when they should be disclosed and the ongoing implications of living with one
  2. Details of how to apply for a gambling licence (known as a Personal Functional Licence) and how a criminal conviction may impact on the successful granting of one
  3. A personal experience of seeking work in a university and the consequences if an employer carries out the wrong level of criminal record check
  4. A link to details of the legal challenge to the Government’s disproportionate disclosure scheme which Unlock is supporting.

 

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. other news and developments that might be of interest to individuals with a criminal record

 

Read the December 2015 update in full here

 

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.

 

Monthly update – December 2015

Welcome to our monthly update for December 2015.

This 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. 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 Information Hub. There are links within each update to where you can find more information about the update on our Hub. 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 members of the forum.

About criminal records

  • Restraining orders – We’ve produced some new information about restraining orders which sets out when they become spent, when they should be disclosed and the ongoing implications of living with one.

Specific occupations and professions

  • Gambling licence (known as a Personal Functional Licence) – After some queries to our helpline about this, we thought it would be useful to have some specific information on our site about this. A person working in a role which involves the receiving or paying of money in connection with gambling will probably need a Personal Functional Licence. Click here to find out what you need to disclose when making an application for a licence and how a criminal record may impact on the successful granting of one.

Work and volunteering

  • Support getting into work – As a small but national charity, we’re unable to provide links to specific local and regional employment support services. However, we have updated our information on support getting into work to highlight the major organisations who provide support to people with convictions who are looking to get back into work, and also the main organisations who should be able to point you to sources of local support. .

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 – Universities please do your homework – ‘I got a conviction about 20 years ago when I was young and foolish. Since then my life has completely changed. I’ve had good jobs, got married and have a family. Generally, I can put this bad period in my life behind me but from time to time I’m reminded that you can never truly escape your past ……..’.

Successes – Dealing with my barriers and borders – ‘I guess it is only fitting that I have a painful reminder of the events that brought me to Australia in a round-about kind of way. As I was sat on the plane I was thinking about how flying long haul is a little bit like sharing a cell with people. Strangers are invading your personal space. I had to tell them if I needed the toilet. I had to squeeze past them, touch them and hear them snore…’

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.

Unlock supports legal challenge to disproportionate criminal records disclosure scheme

On 8th December the High Court heard a legal challenge to the Government’s criminal record disclosure scheme. Two cases were heard at the Court with Unlock providing a witness statement in respect of one of the cases which was brought by Liberty. This involved a person with two extremely minor offences from 1999 who was seeking voluntary positions in schools with a view to achieving her aim of working as a teaching assistant . Find out more about the legal challenge here.

Unlock speaks to Radio 5 Live on the issue of criminal record checks

On the day Unlock was at the High Court supporting the above legal challenge, Christopher Stacey, Unlock’s Co-Director talked on Radio 5 Live about the impact of criminal record checks. Click here to listen to the programme.

Extension of disqualifications in Charities Bill are unnecessary

Plans to see tougher disqualification rules introduced to the Charities Bill could see 50,000 people automatically banned from being Trustees and we have commented on an article written by Andy Ricketts in Third Sector.

We are pushing for amendments to the Bill and have submitted our own evidence. We are now asking anybody with convictions to do the same. To find out what we’d like you to do, please see here.

Expectations for Police Custody

We’ve responded to the October 2015 consultation on Expectations for Police Custody published by HM Inspectorate of Prisons and HM Inspectorate of Constabulary. Read our full response here.

Monthly update – November 2015

 

Welcome to our monthly update for November 2015.

This 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. other news and developments that might be of interest to people with a criminal record


Update to Information Hub

Here’s a summary of the updates that we’ve made recently to the Information Hub. There are links within each update to where you can find more information about the update on our Hub. 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 members of the forum.

About criminal records

  • DVLA records – We’ve produced some new information about DVLA records of driving licences and how information is shared with employers, insurance companies and car hire companies since the scrapping of paper records.
  • Is this a scam – Employment offers and criminal record checks – As a result of an enquiry through our Helpline, we’ve highlighted an organisation, Online UK Disclosure who appear to be offering employment checks as part of a bigger employment scam. Find more information here.


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.

Successes – Convictions accounted for – ‘In 2006 I received a custodial sentence for possession with intent to supply. Prison gave me lots of time to reflect on my past and consider my future and I realised that when I was eventually released, I didn’t want to carry on like before – I wanted to change ………’

Successes – Sam’s top tips for job hunting – ‘Like lots of people with convictions, I’ve struggled to get work. You know how it is, if the employer asks about unspent convictions, you have to tell them but if they don’t ask then you can keep quiet. If like me, you’re still on Licence then your Probation Officer might tell you to disclose even when you’re not asked……….’

News – A criminal record and a fair shot at a job – ‘This was originally published by the New York Times on the 13th November and we thought it would be of interest to people with convictions ….’

 

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.

Information Commissioners Office Policy Conference – The ‘Google effect’

Christopher Stacey, Unlock’s Co-Director was invited to speak at the conference on “Privacy versus the right to know; balancing privacy and access to personal information in the internet era” and to take part in a panel discussion, “Technology, information and its consequences”. The ICO will be publishing a report on the conference in the coming months but in the meantime, read the opening comments here.

Scottish filtering consultation

We considered it important to respond to this consultation and to make comments based on the approach that the UK Government had taken in England and Wales in 2013, as well as raising some practical considerations when reflecting on the legislation in the UK. You can download our response to the consultation from here.

Spent convictions still showing on DVLA records

We are aware that the DVLA’s records of driving offences include spent convictions, but these are not shared with third parties. We’ve had reports that employers, car hire companies and insurers are asking people to print off their own driver records. This can be a problem if there are spent convictions on your driver record and we are requesting that individuals who have experienced this, send us their evidence.

Responding to a review of education in prison

A review of education in adult prisons was announced by Michael Gove in September. As a result of Unlock’s Helpline and the training we provide to practitioners working within prisons, we believed that we had some valuable comments to make to this consultation process. In particular, ensuring that people leaving prison are properly prepared for life with a criminal record through improved education in prison. Have a look at our response to the review.

Marking 15 years of Unlock

We marked our 15th anniversary as a charity with a reception hosted by our President, Lord Ramsbotham at the House of Lords. The event was attended by supporters and beneficiaries as well as staff, trustees, patrons, Peers and volunteers. Read more here.

Calling on all forum supporters

Over the summer work has been continuing on re-designing the Unlock forum. We hope to have a pilot version by the end of the year and we are keen to hear from anybody who would be interested in helping us test it. Find out how here.

 

 

Monthly Update – November 2015

We’ve just published our update for November 2015.

 

 

 

 

 

 

This months updates include:

  1. Details of how the DVLA share information on driving licence records with employers, insurance companies and car hire companies
  2. Information about possible scam employment offers and criminal record checks
  3. Two personal experiences of successfully gaining work with a criminal record
  4. A link to the opening comments of the Information Commissioners Office Policy Conference – the ‘Google effect’.

 

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. other news and developments that might be of interest to individuals with a criminal record

 

Read the November 2015 update in full here

 

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.

 

Calling all forum supporters

Over the summer work has been continuing on re-designing the Unlock forum.

When we sent out an update back in June explaining our plans and sharing a survey asking for your views, several of you who responded expressed an interest in helping us test a pilot version when it became available.

We hope that a pilot version will be ready early in the new year and we are keen to hear from anybody who would be interested in helping us test it.

If you feel this is something you are able to help us with, please email forum@unlock.org.uk.

We’ll be in touch soon directly with those who have already expressed an interest.

 

Written by Debbie Sadler, Advice Manager at Unlock

Is this a scam? Employment offers and criminal record checks

We have been altered to an organisation, Online UK Disclosure, which claim to offer Single Offence Checks at a cost of £99.99.

Online UK Disclosures claim to be an umbrella body for the Disclosure and Barring Service and Disclosure Scotland. The DBS has confirmed to Unlock that Online UK Disclosure is not registered an umbrella body and that the DBS do not offer Single Offence Checks.

Online UK Disclosures state that;-

‘A Single Offence Check only searches back five years and only for one particular offence. It has been created so that people with a criminal record but for minor and unrelated offences do not get hindered when applying for jobs’.

Why should you be concerned about Single Offence Checks?

In the example that we saw, a Single Offence Check was being requested to be done through Online UK Disclosure as part of an employment offer which turned out not to exist. It seems that this is linked to an employment scam which has been highlighted recently on the BBC’s Fake Britain and moneysavingexpert forum. The scam has also been reported to Safer Jobs and Action Fraud.

More and more fictitious jobs are appearing on job sites and job boards and more and more unsuspecting job seekers are parting with their hard earned money or becoming victims of identity theft.

Job scammers will pose as an employer or recruiter offering attractive employment opportunities which require job seekers to pay money in advance. This is usually under the guise of criminal record checks or credit checks. Once the money has been paid, the scammers disappear and the job seeker is let with no job and out of pocket.

How can I protect myself from employment scams?

  1. Never part with any money without being sure that the criminal record checks are being done through Disclosure Scotland (basic checks), the Disclosure and Barring Service (standard and enhanced) or a registered body. You can check with the DBS whether an organisation is a genuine registered body here.  For registered bodies carrying out checks through Disclosure Scotland, check here.
  2. Do some research on the company – Google them or visit the company’s website. If they don’t have one, or it doesn’t have any contact details then tread carefully.
  3. A job should only be offered once a face-to-face or thorough telephone interview has taken place. If a job is offered without this, it is likely to be a scam.
  4. Report any concerns to Safer Jobs or Action Fraud

We’ve reported the case we came across to both the DBS and Action Fraud.

DVLA records of motoring offences

On the 8th June 2015, the DVLA scrapped the paper counterparts for driving licences and issued photo card licences only.

Any new penalty points (endorsements) issued from that date will be recorded electronically only. This information will be held on your DVLA driver record and can be viewed online via the DVLA Shared Driving Licence Service.

We’ve put together some new information on how you can access your driving record and how third parties such as employers, car hire companies and insurance companies and brokers will be able to access them.

We hope you find it helpful. Let us know what you think by using 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.

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Thank you for your feedback.

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

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