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Monthly summary – December 2018

Welcome to our monthly summary for December 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. 

Work and volunteering

  • Wrongful dismissal – We’ve produced some new information on wrongful dismissal claims which, in certain circumstances, can be used to claim damages against an employer.
  • Setting up your own business – We’ve written a further article for InsideTime ‘Through the Gate’ Section on setting up your own business following release from prison.

Travelling abroad

  • Travelling to India – Following the introduction of their e-Visa system, we’ve produced some new information on travelling to India, which sets out the questions around criminal records asked on the online form.
  • Travelling within the EU – We’ve updated this page and added a link to the Schengen visa eligibility checker which can help you establish whether you’ll need a visa when travelling from the UK to any Schengen member state. This is particularly useful if you’re not a UK national.

Insurance

  • Commercial insurance – We’ve updated this information to include an explanation of the different types of commercial policies available and when you might need them.

Other areas of life

  • Sources of identification – This page has been updated to make it easier to navigate and now includes sections on the identification you will need when opening a bank account, seeking employment and making benefit claims.

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 – ‘No’ didn’t mean ‘no’, it meant ‘not right now’ – getting a job on my second application – “Two years ago I was interviewed for a job with a government department. At the end of the interview I was given a form which asked me to disclose details of any cautions or convictions and, although I was able to provide the facts of my conviction, I wasn’t able to include an actual self disclosure statement …..”

Struggles and stigmaEmployers need to learn how to see the person and not just the crime – “My criminal record started when I was 12 years old while growing up in children’s homes. By the age of 18 I had convictions for burglary and assault and had served time in youth detention centres and borstals. At the age of 20, I was standing in the dock at the Old Bailey receiving a 30-year sentence for armed robbery and attempted murder …..”

News – Has an employer wrongly checked your criminal record?- Get in touch – “We’re continuing to look for examples of employers who have carried out inappropriate criminal record checks. We’re gathering this information as part of our Fair Access to Employment project and to feed into our legal strategy which aims to put an end to unlawful criminal record checks …..”

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.

Post Brexit – Impact on travelling to Europe  – There’s been a lot of discussion on the forum about the proposed European Travel Information and Authorisation System (ETIAS) post Brexit and how this will affect the ability of those with a criminal record to travel to the EU. Let us know what you think.

Annual notification  – CC raised some concerns about the new approach taken by his Public Protection Officers at a recent visit. This lasted much longer and appeared more intrusive than previous visits. Has anybody experienced anything similar?

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.

Google settles out of court with individual who has spent conviction, in the UK’s first ‘right to be forgotten case’ involving criminal records

Earlier in the year, two individuals with spent convictions bought cases against Google, one case was successful and the other one failed. An appeal on the one that failed was due to be heard in the Court of Appeal but the case was withdrawn following settlement out of court. Read more here.

Looking back at 2018 – A month-by-month review of our work and criminal record developments

Our co-director, Christopher Stacey reflects on the last 12 months and the developments relating to criminal records in his year-end blog.

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Photo of Head of Advice, Debbie Sadler
Debbie Sadler
Head of Advice

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