Monthly summary – March 2018

Welcome to our monthly summary for March 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. 

Seven stages of a criminal record

• New ‘seven stages of a criminal record’ information launched – We’ve developed some new pages to sit alongside our existing subject-led structure which will allow visitors to find specific information on dealing with the consequences of a criminal record at a specific stage.
• An overview of the areas of life that can be affected by a criminal record – As part of our seven stages of a criminal record, we’ve put together an overview of the ways in which a criminal record can affect certain areas of your life.

Work and volunteering

• Becoming a police officer – We’ve updated this page to include links to the College of Policing APP Vetting together with details of the vetting process for non-police personnel.

Travelling abroad

• Travelling abroad – We’ve updated our landing page to make it easier to search for information on travel to specific countries.
• Travelling to China – We’ve produced some new information on travelling to China which sets out details of whether you will require a visa to travel and if so, whether you’ll need to disclose your criminal record.

Insurance

• A detailed guide to insurance and convictions  – We’ve updated this guide to provide links to the Financial Ombudsman’s decisions made in favour of individuals who’ve reported cases of unfair treatment by two insurance companies.

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 – My new life began to grow in a garden – starting again with a criminal record – “Two years ago I received a conviction for possession of extreme adult pornography. My life would have been ruined if it wasn’t for the support I had from my family and friends …..”

Struggles and stigma – Having my wings clipped by an old conviction – how my criminal record stopped me travelling with my family – “At the end of last year, I was told that one of my family who lives in the Caribbean was extremely ill and had only been given a short amount of time to live. I immediately went online to find the cheapest flight so me and my family could go and see my relative before they died. After hours of looking, I managed to find a cheap flight which transited in Canada, so I hastily went ahead and booked the tickets …..”

Success – Learning to read in prison has opened so may doors! – “I must have been about 6 years old when I started school but I’d left by the time I was 9. I thought it was boring, a waste of time plus I had no friends to play with – as a traveller girl, I found it difficult to make friends outside my own community …..”

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.

International Travel: Interpol Green Notices  – BenS wants to know whether it’s mandatory for the PPU to issue a green notice when somebody is travelling abroad whilst on the SOR or, whether it’s a discretionary decision. Can anybody help?

Shock, horror a somewhat positive experience – Derek has posted details of his recent visit to the job centre, which he found to be quite positive. Tell us about your own experiences.

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.

Criminal record disclosure training

We’re taking bookings for our ‘Advising with Conviction’ workshops which will take place on selected dates in 2018. Find out more information about what the training covers and how to book.