Ending the Long Shadow of Criminal Records – Unlock’s five-year strategy 2026-31

At our inaugural presidential lecture in Lincoln’s Inn, we launched our new five-year strategy.

Aimed at dismantling the long shadow of criminal records, by combining Unlock’s direct support, advocacy, lived experience leadership, and imaginative, forward-looking thinking, we will create a society where rehabilitation is meaningful and visible.

Unlock exists to address the enduring impact of criminal records, which continue to shape people’s lives long after a sentence has been served. We recognise that current systems; particularly disclosure regimes, employer practices and public stigma, create ongoing barriers to opportunity, dignity and belonging.

Unlock’s vision is of a society where individuals are not permanently defined by past mistakes, and where growth, rehabilitation and change are recognised in practice. Our vision is rooted in fairness, inclusion and the belief that people should be able to move forward into work, education, family life and civic participation.

You can read the 2026-31 strategy here.