Roy – Finding out his son’s conviction was spent after using the disclosure calculator
When Roy’s son was convicted of a criminal offence, it was the first time that any member of his family had experienced the criminal justice system.
The conviction impacted on every member of his family and there were many times when they felt demoralised with little hope for the future. They could see no end to the issues that they were constantly coming up against and there seemed to be something new every week.
Roy found it difficult to get answers to his questions from the police, probation or his son’s solicitor and the information he did get was often confusing or conflicted with something he’d been told by somebody else.
As time went on, Roy’s son became more and more depressed and unwell and Roy was sure that finding a job and having some purpose to his life would be the only way of improving his son’s mental health. After speaking to his probation officer about disclosing his criminal record, his son was told that due to the nature of the offence he would have to disclose it forever and it would be extremely difficult for him to find work.
At a loss as to what they should do, Roy started to look online for some information around the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act and found a link to Unlock’s disclosure calculator. Inputting the date of the conviction together with the details of the disposal, Roy was surprised to learn that his son’s conviction would be spent the following year at which time, he would have no need to disclose it for the majority of jobs.
Roy said:
“The disclosure calculator has given us hope. I’ll be able to sleep tonight and we’re now going to try and heal our family. Hopefully we’ll have a decent shared meal and sit around the table without bitterness and fear.”
Lessons
As Roy and his family have discovered, the information and advice provided to individuals following their conviction can be confusing if indeed, it is available. Knowing his son’s conviction would be spent after a year has given the whole family a reason to look towards the future more positively.
Links
Notes about this case study
This case study relates to our disclosure calculator.
Names and details have been changed to protect the identity of those involved.
Ronald – My personal experience of the Unlock forum
Ronald has been a member of Unlock’s forum for a while now and has found it to be totally unique. He believes there are so few practical and effective resources available to people with convictions and so few organisations committed to the betterment and improvement of those affected by an institutionalised view that once someone has committed a criminal offence they are lost to society.
Ronald states:
“It was clear to me from the start that theForum was the work of people committed to making improvements through campaigns, meetings, looking at policies and a host of other activities, striving to improve the prospects of all those facing discrimination. It was a refreshing experience”.
Whilst his personal circumstances lead to a level of aggrievement with the criminal justice system, theForum provided an outlet that allowed him to contribute in a positive way. When he first joined he didn’t feel ready to contribute but he’d read the posts from others and waited a while to see how it worked. Ronald then looked at posts that he agreed with and added a comment or an example of his own. Today, he contributes regularly and hopes that the insight he provides from his own experiences, proves useful to others.
In Ronald’s opinion, theForum can only get better through the contribution of others, sharing experiences and especially sharing stories of how they have overcome barriers, met their own goals and proven themselves worthy of respect and the second chance so essential to improving their lives and those of their families. When we’re in the midst of a battle, it’s so easy to want to avoid talking about it but theForum gives an anonymous outlet and sometimes, others can offer a view or advice we might ourselves have missed.
Lessons
One of the great things about online discussions is that they generally happen over a longer period of time, so you can think about what you want to say and everybody gets the chance to make their point. This is very unlike face-to-face discussions where sometimes the only people who get heard are those who ‘think on their feet’ and talk loudest.
Links
Notes about this case study
This case study relates to our online forum.
Names and details have been changed to protect the identity of those involved.
