Monthly summary – December 2019

Welcome to our monthly summary for December 2019.

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 stumbled across this? You can receive these updates 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 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. There are also links next to many of the updates, which links to threads on our online forum where you can discuss these with other people.

Travelling abroad

• Travelling to Russia – We’ve produced some new information on travelling to Russia and the impact a criminal record will have on your ability to get a visa.
• Information contained on passports – We’ve updated this page to include some new information relating to green Interpol notices.

About criminal records

• Chance to respond to the DBS customer satisfaction survey – We’ve provided a link to a new satisfaction survey launched by the DBS giving customers the opportunity to provide feedback on their services.

theRecord posts

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

Views and reviews – Teaching is facing a recruitment crisis; how can it be turned around – “Back in 2017, it was reported that a shortfall of trainee teachers was reaching crisis levels, with particular shortages in London and the home counties, and a significant drop over the last decade in women applicants. A number of factors were used to explain this …..”

Struggles and stigma – I thought the last people to judge me would be the solicitors I worked for – “Until August of this year I was employed in the accounts department of a large law firm being responsible for several European offices. My employment began in the early 1990’s and without being too boastful, I had an exemplary work record …..”

Struggles and stigma – Do the police believe in rehabilitation? –“I have been on the Sex Offenders Register (SOR) for five years during which time I have complied with everything and have never caused my police officer any concerns regarding my behaviour. I hoped that I had shown how I had moved on with my life and rehabilitated …..”

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.

What do you have to do to become an ex-offender – risk your life ….. – JASB has started an interesting discussion around the terrorist attack on London Bridge and the media coverage given to one individual with a criminal record. Let us have your thoughts.

Greetings folks! – Khafka is a new member of theForum awaiting sentencing early next year. He has posted details of his experiences to date as well as his fears for the future. Can anybody offer him any support?

Other news and developments

Looking back at 2019 – A month-by-month review of our work and criminal record developments

With the Christmas break almost upon us and 2019 coming to an end, Christopher Stacey, Unlock’s co-director, looks back over the last 12 months at Unlock and the developments relating to criminal records.

We’ve updated our recruitment policy for applicants with a criminal record

Unlock is committed to the fair recruitment and the inclusion of people with lived experience of the criminal justice system. We’ve recently reviewed and improved our ‘Applicants with a criminal record policy’ and wanted to share this in the hope that other organisations working in the criminal justice system will think about their own approach to actively involving people with criminal records.

Our priorities for government in 2020 – A fresh start for criminal records

We’ve published our priorities for government in 2020 calling for the government to commit to five priorities to bring about a fresh start for law-abiding people with criminal records.