Story Type: Successes

Celebrating the achievement of an outstanding learner

The Festival of Learning, which took place in June, is the biggest national celebration of lifelong learning in England. Each year, ahead of the Festival, an awards ceremony is hosted (The Inspire Awards) to celebrate the achievements of outstanding learners who’ve shown exceptional passion, commitment and drive for learning, often in the face of difficult circumstances.

This year, the ‘Overall Learner of the Year Award’ and the ‘Into Work’ category was won by James Harris. What’s so outstanding about James is that he spent half of his adult life in prison after he was sentenced to 76 months in prison for drug offences.

Talking about his experiences after he received his award, James explained how he had first been offered cocaine at a party when he was 19. Before long, his drug use had escalated until it eventually reached the point where he couldn’t face going to work before he’d snorted a line of coke. At the age of 23, James was dealing drugs to pay for his habit and this ultimately led to his prison sentence.

Like many people, prison proved to be the turning point for James and, instead of hitting rock bottom, he decided to use his time behind bars positively. Relationships with his family had broken down and James knew that he had to turn his life around. He dedicated his time to learning new skills and acquiring more knowledge. He gained more than 30 qualifications ranging from psychology to personal training as well as mentoring around 30 other prisoners to achieve basic literacy skills.

Having left prison, James now combines studying for an Open University degree whilst working night shifts. In an interview given to Wales Online James said:

I wanted to use my own personal experiences combined with my studies to help others battling drug addiction.
I’ve spent half of my adult life in prison but rather than focus on the negatives, I decided to take a step back and evaluate my life choices.
I’d love to work in a drug rehabilitation unit as a therapist and I know to achieve that I’ve got to work hard’

Read the whole article about James at here or watch an video interview with James.

Useful links

Comment – Let us know your thoughts on this post by commenting below
Information – We have practical self-help information on universities, colleges and education for people with convictions on our information site.
Discuss this issue – There are some interesting discussions related to education and training from people with convictions on our online forum.

I didn’t know the real sentence would start after leaving prison

hard-work

I’ll start this with the following statement:

If someone had told me I’d have a criminal record and get a prison term three years ago, I’d have laughed.

However, the reality of this journey has been eye-opening and frightening! The pre-prison journey was horrendous and my lack of knowledge concerning the working of the law cost me dearly. Legal aid means only the basics are covered and it’s very true that without money to defend yourself you’re in a very poor position to fight. Prior to this experience, I had absolute respect for the criminal justice system; this I’m afraid is no longer the case. Perhaps I’ll write about that some other time.

From my own perspective, post prison is where the true sentence begun. Regardless of the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974, a criminal record causes a significant impact on the simple things in life! For those with a life licence, you have my absolute sympathy. Thankfully in time, I will no longer have to ‘disclose’ and matters will improve, that’s not to say I’m naive enough to think things will be perfect. If you leave prison and they offer you hostel accommodation, take it! In my case they opened the prison door and left me to it. Probation couldn’t help with accommodation or work – it’s not their responsibility. Writing to housing associations didn’t achieve great results and the council were less than helpful. Therefore, if you have a hostel place be grateful for it because it will give you the opportunity and time to sort your life out. It might compromise your life for a while but it’s better than being homeless as I’ve discovered.

Life on licence is bearable. I’ve found my probation officer to be very supportive and feel that in many cases, they only come down hard on you if you give them reason to. Finding work with a criminal record has proved to be a journey in itself. If you prepare yourself for a lot of rejection, then you’ll be OK. The Job Centre should and will work with any restrictions that you have. Initially my work coach asked me to apply for every job under the sun which really wasn’t appropriate. I had to be very clear about what my options were. Job Seekers Allowance or Universal Credit requires active seeking of work but you shouldn’t be penalised if you can only apply for two jobs a week. You may find that a lot will depend on the relationship you develop with your work coach so try hard to get them on board.

I was placed on the Mandatory Work Programme. This consisted of 5 hours a day of hot housing on the job hunting front. My work coach thankfully had a lot of experience of working with ex-offenders and, with a bit of prompting, was able to quickly understand what I could and couldn’t do. Initially they asked me to join every recruitment agency in the local area and as I soon discovered, this wasn’t the most helpful piece of advice I was given.

In my experience, it’s best to concentrate on joining agencies that specialise in getting ex-offenders back into work – they do exist. Talking to my work coach enabled me to find out which ones in the area were the best to join. I was prepared to work anywhere and was realistic about what I could achieve but was horrified to find that I was having problems applying for shift work in a factory. I got the feeling that agencies were sometimes loath to put me forward for jobs and sell me to employers and I got very depressed with the constant rejections.

Talking with employers face to face was much more successful as I was able to speak for myself, sell my strengths and explain how I’d come to be convicted. I’d certainly recommend this to anybody looking for a job and it did achieve more positive results for me. ‘Banning the Box’ is something I definitely support as I really believe that there were times when having ticked the ‘yes’ box on a form, my application was taken no further despite having the relevant skills and experience required.

It’s been necessary for me to take a long hard look at my CV and sadly, I’ve had to remove the majority of my qualifications. My degree and post-graduate qualifications are at this time no longer relevant and in fact, proved to be a hindrance in achieving work as I was deemed ‘over qualified’. If you have any professional qualifications then dumbing down you CV will improve your chances of getting a job. I’m now employed as a car valeter – it’s not glamorous but it’s 40-45 hours of regular work and regular pay. My current employer never asked anything about my past. All he wanted to know was that I was reliable and committed to the job. I was able to sell myself without having to tick a box. My employer isn’t silly by any means, he probably realises that there might be a ‘skeleton in my cupboard’ but as far as he’s concerned I contribute to his company – I’m hard working, never let him down and I make him money – and that’s all he wants.

Remember, if an employer doesn’t ask you about convictions, you don’t need to disclose. Unless you have restrictions on your licence, don’t let your probation officer force you into disclosure. The law is clear on this, if you’re not asked then you do not need to say anything. The same applies to car and house insurance although do check out the small print to make sure you’re not missing a question somewhere!

The future moves on for me and I know that there will be other difficult occasions to overcome. Patience and resolve will allow you to make progress you’ve just got to hang on in there. I haven’t enjoyed the constant ‘black-listing’ and perhaps this will continue, but I’ll not give up. It can feel as though the system is designed to set you up to fail but don’t let it.

We’re all worth something and I believe that if a company says ‘no’ then it was their loss. When you walk into an interview, its in your hands to prove that you have the skills and experience to do the job and that you’re worth the faith and trust they’ll be placing in you.

By Adam (name changed to protect identity)

Useful links

Comment – Let us know your thoughts on this post by commenting below
Information – We have practical self-help information on looking for (and keeping) employment and volunteering and insurance for people with convictions on our information site.
Discuss this issue – There are some interesting discussions related to education and training from people with convictions on our online forum.

Seeing the legal system from both sides – and becoming a solicitor!

In 1993 I drove the ‘get away’ vehicle in a robbery. It goes without question that this is a crime that I am deeply ashamed of and one I regret every day.

I had grown up on council estates and seen friends make mistakes and get in serious trouble. I really hoped I would not suffer a similar fate However, in my teens my life became afflicted with an addition to gambling that I simply could not control. It got worse and worse and I got myself heavily in debt. Understandably no one would lend me money. It was in these circumstances that I decided to involve myself in a robbery in a bid to clear my debt. This is by no means an excuse, its just what happened.

Thankfully I was caught and sentenced to 7 years imprisonment. I say thankfully as it was in prison that I managed to turn my life around.

I distinctly recall a moment in prison (HMP Parkhurst) after about 18 months or so when I’d reached absolutely rock bottom. My parents were suffering greatly, particularly my mother. She had such high hopes for me and always pushed me to study hard and make something of my life. She was simply devastated by my incarceration – the sad and frightened look on her face whenever she visited me still burns me now.

At the time I was still gambling in prison, only the currency was tobacco and phone cards rather than cash. That didn’t stop me getting heavily in debt again.

I was surrounded by examples of what I would become in 10 years, 20 years or 30 years time if I didn’t find a way out. So I just decided that enough was enough and that I had to do something to change my life’s direction. My dear mother and family right behind me.

So I enrolled on an offending behaviour course and it soon became obvious to me that despite my constant denials and protestations that I could control my gambling, it was indeed gambling that was the root cause of all my problems. This led me to get in touch with Gamblers Anonymous and I received literature from them that changed my life forever.

I’d tried giving up gambling before, but always got bored and ended up convincing myself that I could control my habit only to fail miserably. The literature advised me to fill the gap that inevitably follows after giving up gambling (you spend so much time gambling and finding money to gamble when you’re an addict that you have little time for anything other than sleep) with positive things.

I decided to fill my gap with education in the main and rekindling my love of basketball. I was always interested in law so got myself a job as a student orderly, helping inmates with basic English and Maths along with studying a correspondence course in A level law. I’d written to various organisations and managed to get funding to do the A level.

Whilst doing the course, I applied to the University of Southampton to study for a degree in law. I disclosed my conviction for robbery and I was lucky enough to be invited to sit an internal exam and go through a rigorous interview. The prison I was in was good enough to give me a licence to attend and I managed to pass the exam and persuade the university to offer me a place contingent upon me getting a grade A in my A level law exam.

I remember my exam was 2 days after my release and being worried sick that I would get out and be so distracted by the euphoria of being released after three and a half years in prison that I might mess up my exam. I therefore asked the Prison Governor if I could remain a further two days, sit my exam and then be released so I could focus on what would be the biggest exam of my life. The governor agreed and I managed to secure my grade A.

I excelled at university getting a high 2.1 and being amongst the top 10% in my year group. I then obtained a distinction on the Legal Practice Course at Guildford’s College of Law.

In order to qualify as a solicitor, I had to convince the Law Society that I was now a fit and proper person to become a solicitor. I had spent a tremendous amount of time since my release doing as many positive things in the community as possible. As a consequence, I was able to produce a number of references from people such as my law tutor, careers advisor, employers, voluntary work supervisors and friends. I have no doubt that this enabled me to convince the Law Society that I was now a fit and proper person to become a solicitor.

My only hurdle then was to convince a firm of solicitors to give me a training contract. This was not easy and I was turned down 100’s of times. It eventually became obvious that the smaller high street legal aid practices would be more willing to take a chance on me.

I eventually managed to secure an interview with one of these practices and was given a chance to complete my training contract. I qualified as a solicitor and gained a further qualification which enabled me to conduct jury trials and appear in courts as high as the Supreme Court. I spent 7 very happy years with this organisation until I decided to set up my own practice specialising in criminal defence work.

I can’t say it has all been plain sailing, there have been very difficult moments throughout my journey. I have experienced people, including those in the criminal justice system. that have made negative comments about myself being allowed to practice and about my achievements. This was a big shock to me, as I assumed that everyone would view my rehabilitation and achievements positively.

However, I soon understood and came to realise that it was a healthy reminder of the fact that I committed a very serious crime indeed that will never leave me no matter what I achieve. That is the real punishment, but I have not allowed it for one second to deviate me from my pursuit of doing the best I can to be an active and positive role model in the community. That is the least I can do for the victims of my crime.

By Thomas (name changed to protect identity)

Useful links

Comment – Let us know your thoughts on this post by commenting below
Information – We have practical self-help information on becoming a solicitor for people with convictions on our information site.
Discuss this issue – There are some interesting discussions related to education and training from people with convictions on our online forum.

Five years in the life of a person with conviction

I’d like to share with you my journey since I received my conviction over 5 years ago. In 2010, I received a conviction – the first time ever I’d had a run in with the criminal justice system.

Shortly after sentencing

Shortly after I was sentenced, I fell into a really bad rut. I lost my job and along with it, my future due to the chain reaction this caused. I disappeared off the grid for a year, closing up and only staying in contact with close family and a few very close friends. During this time I’d continued to play the ‘what if game’, the same one I did when I was awaiting sentencing. Believe me this isn’t constructive, it’s unhealthy and can make things that are completely out of your control seem a lot worse.

I considered myself unemployable due to the horror stories that I’d read online and so I signed on with the job centre. Deep down, I knew I couldn’t face years of not working, just surviving on benefits.

Coming to terms

I had difficulty coming to terms with what had happened. I kept harping back to where I was, prior to being arrested and sentenced to where I was after my arrest. All the stress I went through meant that I was a changed person and to an extent I still am. I view life completely differently now.

Prior to my arrest I worked in the City for a big financial organisation. I was building a career for myself and was looking to move abroad with my partner. There was no way I was going to be able to get back into that position and it was that sole fact that I had to deal with and come to terms with very quickly.

The fall from grace was long and hard but hitting rock bottom was the worst. I went through some of the lowest points of my life – depression, worthlessness, even suicidal thoughts. It was a really dark time but I managed to pull myself out of it.

How did I do it? With a lot of help – close friends and family that I’d kept in touch with and believe it or not, it was also with the help of my probation officer. I also used Unlock’s forum – I’d sit for hours and read what people had written, taking their advice and finding some solace knowing I wasn’t alone in what I was going through. After a while, I decided to become a member myself and started to contribute.

In and out of employment

After 12 months I accepted the fact that earning £30k a year was in the past and I’d have to work my way back up the ladder of trust and responsibility. It’s a game changer but once you accept it you can start to move on and rebuild yourself. It’s a lot healthier – applying for the same job that I did before sentencing wasn’t the way forward.

So there I was earning £6 an hour labouring on a building site. It was a culture shock but one I adapted to quickly and actually leant to enjoy. Finally earning money after 12 months out of work meant that I was able to get out and start meeting new people. It did me the world of good.

However, the joy wasn’t to last long. I’ve always been open and honest so when the agency I worked for asked me about unspent convictions I thought ‘no problem – I’ll tell them’. Needless to say, I was released from their employment straight away.

This happened a few times before I learned my lesson. Yes, it dragged me back towards depression and worthlessness, but knowing I’d got employment once fuelled me on. I turned to the Unlock forum again for advice and one member in particular told me:-

Apply for jobs that don’t require a criminal record check. As soon as you know a checks going to be done leave and seek employment elsewhere.

As dishonest as this may sound, believe me, this is the only way that I’ve managed to remain in employment for the past 5 years. Yes the jobs have been hard graft and in some cases damn right dirty, a far cry from crisp shirts and clean suits but it paid the bills

I’ve mainly worked in construction – labourer, handyman, tradesman’s mate and in all fairness on some of these jobs I’ve disclosed and kept my job. It’s a matter of weighing people up, knowing who to tell and who not to tell.

I’ve learnt a lot of new skills through my experience – DIY, management and most importantly life skills. I’ve met a new partner and new friends none of which I would have done were it not for my conviction.

Returning to the social circle

12 months after my conviction an old mate saw me in a pub and convinced me that I needed to get out of the social rut I was in. Being out of contact with friends for a year makes it difficult to return to – the thought of all those questions made me anxious about seeing old mates again.

I found that dealing with questions from friends is the same as employment, you don’t have to tell everyone you know about your conviction. In my case I put it down to losing my job and splitting up with my partner that had made me isolate myself and it was only my new job that enabled me to return to the social scene.

Slowly and surely with the support of my family and mates I started to regain some normality and move on from the past. My attitude to meeting new people changed, I got my confidence back and entered into a new relationship. I decided to be up front and honest with my new partner about my conviction quite early on. I felt so much better for doing so and I think it has helped her to understand me a lot better.

A steep learning curve

4 years into my sentence, changes were made to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 which I considered to be the best news ever. My conviction was spent, I applied for a job with a large company and was successful. No more manual jobs for me and a huge step towards going back to where I was before sentencing. I’d never seen this coming – didn’t dream it could happen.

All was going really well. I’d settled in fine and was finally earning a decent wage. I’d applied for my basic criminal record check and was really looking forward to handing over my clean certificate. But, once again, my world was hit with a sledge hammer. The certificate came back displaying my conviction clear as day. I researched frantically, challenged the check and sought legal advice.

Eventually I contacted Unlock and although I appreciated the time and effort they put in to researching my situation, what they told me was so disheartening. My ancillary order prolonged my rehabilitation – my conviction wasn’t spent after all. I had to wait until my order came to an end. So back to the agency I went and continued to work through them until my order finished.

As soon as the order ended, I began to apply for more jobs and was invited to 3 interviews with 3 reputable firms, all of whom offered me jobs and asked me to provide a basic disclosure certificate. I accepted a job with one of the companies and not a moment too soon, I was able to hand over my blank basic disclosure certificate.

Looking back

As you can see, over the past 5 years I’ve been through a lot. I’ve lost friends, jobs and a piece of myself. I have a more serious outlook on life now but I also have a wealth of knowledge gained from my experiences. So what would I do differently:-

Education/degree/trade

I would definitely have immediately applied to the Open University to study for a degree. Looking back, I could have used my time to learn and rebuild myself and at the end of my five years I might have had a degree or some sort of qualification. I’m still planning on studying for a degree or learning a trade so that I keep my future options open should there be any changes that impact on my current job role.

Social circles

It can be hard to socialise when you’re in that dark place with all the negativity generated by the criminal justice process. I isolated myself from many friends for about a year which really wasn’t a good move either mentally or emotionally. It also bought about anxiety when meeting new people which really didn’t help when I was seeking a new job.

Employment

The biggest challenge facing anybody with a conviction is employment and the advice I’d give anybody is:-

Come to terms with your fall from grace. Whatever your job role was prior to sentencing you’ll need to accept that was then and this is now. It’s hard but the sooner you do it the easier it will be to find work.
Many employers ask for five years of solid employment history and are cautious at taking anyone on who doesn’t have a good reason for not having this. The quicker you get into employment whether it be construction, warehouse work or driving, the quicker you begin to remove a barrier that will still be there once your conviction becomes spent. The money may not be great but challenge yourself – see how quickly you can move up that ladder. It could be the start of a great new career. Try and stay with the same company for as long as you can as this will look much better on your CV.

Today

Well, that’s my story. It hasn’t been easy for me or my partner but I’ve fought hard and I’m now moving on with my life. Today, I’m still working for the same company, I love the industry I work in even though I would never previously have considered taking this career path (every cloud has a silver lining though).

I’ve started travelling abroad and I’m saving for a deposit for a house. In some strange way, I believe I am a better person and in a better place.

By Jack (name changed to protect identity)

Useful links

Comment – Let us know your thoughts on this post by commenting below
Information – We have practical self-help information on the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act for people with convictions on our information hub.
Discuss this issue – There are some interesting discussions related to success stories from people with convictions on our online forum.

From brothel to boardroom

I would generally describe myself as a clever woman. I’ve had a good education. I’ve had some really good, well paid jobs. I’ve travelled the world. My social skills are fine and I’ve got a wide circle of friends.

However, I’m not the smart a**e you might think I am. I have an achilles heel – men. Yes that’s right, I’m an absolutely lousy judge of men.

I married young and had two beautiful children. My husband worked in construction taking control of major building projects all over the world. For many years, the four of us lived in the Middle East, the lifestyle was fantastic and the tax free salary meant we were able to have the best of everything. Yet all was not as it seemed. Behind closed doors, my husband was an abusive monster. It started verbally, just nasty words and put downs but quickly escalated into physical violence. Living overseas meant that I was isolated from family and I had nobody to turn to. In the end, I just accepted it, doing everything I could to ensure that neither me nor the children did anything to annoy ‘hubbie’. We moved back to the UK just as the children started secondary school but sadly my domestic situation didn’t really change.

Tragically, when he was 19, my son died in a car accident. Nothing can prepare you for the death of a child and for at least 6 months I could barely bring myself to get out of bed. The only ‘good’ thing to come out of it was that I eventually gained the courage to leave my husband and seek a divorce.

My divorce settlement enabled me to buy a lovely little cottage and I found myself an admin job in a local office. Life was good – happy and safe.

I had a great social life with lots of friends both male and female. I wasn’t looking for love but one night when I was in a local bar I was introduced to Liam. He was 20 years younger than me but witty, intelligent and a local businessman. He had it all. In all honesty, I guess I was flattered that somebody like him would be interested in somebody like me.

I won’t bore you with the details but after about a year, Liam and I bought a house and moved in together. Liam was an entrepreneur in every sense of the word, always looking for new ways to make money – and he was very successful. I wasn’t unduly worried therefore when he told me that he wanted to set up a ‘Gentleman’s Club’ and thought I’d be the ideal person to manage it.

I quickly realised that ‘Gentleman’s Club’ = ‘brothel’. I can’t explain why I didn’t walk away as soon as I found out. I knew what I was doing wasn’t legal but there was a part of me that believed Liam when he told me that we were ‘providing a service to the local community’. Not only that, several of our clients were serving policemen and I guess I felt this offered us some protection.

I should have listened to that little voice in my head which had told me to ‘get out’. All too soon, we were raided by the police and both Liam and I ended up in court. We both received significant prison sentences along with significant compensation orders. I lost absolutely everything.

Prison wasn’t as bad as I’d thought it would be. I made some wonderful friends and used my time constructively signing up for every course that I could.

I was always worried though about how I was going to be able to support myself when I left prison. Having a conviction which would never be spent, I’d assumed that getting paid work would be difficult – not sure too many employers would want ‘Madam Shirl’ working for them or at least not the sort of employers I wanted to work for!! I started to consider self-employment. I’d always been interested in fashion and would often customise clothes that I’d bought from High Street stores. I knew this was something I was good at but I wasn’t sure whether I could make a business out of it.

A couple of weeks before I left prison, my personal officer arranged for me to meet somebody who worked for Women in Prison. I ran my ideas past her and she gave me some fantastic feedback and advice. She suggested I start small – sell items on eBay to see whether there was a market for my goods. She also gave me a link to somebody who was able to help ex-offenders set up websites and a list of potential funders.

So, I left prison, got my website set up, it looked great and with a £50 loan from a friend, I scoured the local charity shops for clothes. On that first day I returned home with a huge bag and spent a week, working 15 hours a day customising my loot. Adding new buttons, lace, cutting, stitching, you name it, I did it. I took photographs of the items from every angle and uploaded them to Ebay and my website. At the end of the first month, I’d earned a £500 profit and immediately paid back the £50.

Ebay and my website went from strength to strength and just before Christmas a year ago I was in a position to rent a ‘pop up shop’, initially for two months. My shop is now the ‘place to go’ if you’re looking for something original and quirky. I now buy a lot of my stock in but still make sure they’re different and one-off pieces and I’ll always give something the ‘Shirley’ touch if I’m asked.

It’s been the hardest work I’ve ever done. I spend all day in the shop and then go home and work in the evening. However, I think I’ve just got to the point where I’m ready to take on a part-time person to help me out. Without a doubt I’ll be looking to give an opportunity to somebody with a criminal record.

And what about my achilles heel – well there is a new man in my life. He’s charming and well groomed, weighs about 200lb and drools quite a lot. He absolutely adores me and all he wants in return is a big bowl of dinner and a long walk every day – he’s my St Bernard, Henry.

By Shirley (name changed to protect identity)

Useful links

Comment – Let us know your thoughts on this post by commenting below
Information – We have practical self-help information on self-employment for people with convictions on our information hub.
Discuss this issue – There are some interesting discussions related to self-employment from people with convictions on our online forum.

Functioning on a daily basis with a sexual offences order

I hear so many stories about the difficulties that people encounter trying to live with Sexual Offences Prevention Orders (SOPO’s) or Sexual Harm Prevention Orders (SHPO’s). If you’ve just been given a SOPO/SHPO and are struggling to see how you’re ever going to be able to live a normal life again, then here are some of my own experiences and opinions.

As you can probably tell from the above, I was convicted of a sexual offence and as part of my sentence, I was given a SOPO (as they were known then). It was ridiculously wordy and repetitive and I’m pretty sure it had some unlawful elements too. But, here’s how I dealt with it.

Employment

My employment background has been heavily tech based (Cisco networking, Microsoft Certified Systems Engineer) and within senior management. Whilst I was on licence, following my release from prison, my Probation Officer forced me to disclose my conviction to any potential employer prior to accepting a position with them (even when they’d never asked me about my criminal record). I was offered two senior positions but immediately I disclosed well, – go figure – offer revoked. It was a really difficult time.

I came off licence about a month ago and guess what, I start a senior position this week. I haven’t disclosed by conviction, because as per both employment law and disclosure law, if you aren’t asked, you don’t need to tell. Many employers I’ve come across haven’t asked me the question but I know that many do. Remember if you’re asked about your unspent convictions then you must disclose. If your employer does find out then you’ll probably going to be instantly dismissed with no comeback.

I’m not sure whether I’ve just been lucky but my Public Protection Unit Officer has been great (I know other’s experiences are very different). He didn’t agree with my Probation Officer’s view about forced disclosure as he didn’t believe that my conviction was relevant to my work. He also made the point to me that gainful employment is a factor in reducing the risk of re-offending.

The Google Effect

The best advice I can give is to change your name. I believe there’s every chance that people will ‘Google’ you, if only out of curiosity. I changed my name to coincide with the end of my Licence. Anybody can do it and there’s no cost involved if you do your own Deed Poll (its much easier than it sounds). Of course, you’ll have to inform the Police (as part of the Sex Offenders Notification scheme) within three days and remember to also change the name on your bank account/utility bills/driving licence – the works.

SOPO/SHPO conditions

One of the conditions of my SOPO was ‘not to delete internet history and make it available to the police’. This really didn’t bother me at all. At the end of the day, if you aren’t doing anything wrong then you’ve nothing to worry about. The police told me that they will only wish to have a look at my computer if they had good cause to do so. Well, my history is completely clean. I’ve been out of prison for 22 months now and no one has every asked to see my history.

Travel

If you’re not on licence and have no travel banning orders then you can go anywhere you want, for as long as you want – well except those countries that require you to have visa’s (the USA for example). Remember to notify the police of when you’re going and where.

The police may choose to notify border control of your travel plans and you may get ‘questioned’ by border control but that’s life I’m afraid. Just go and enjoy yourself.

New relationships

I was told that disclosure only applied to me if the lady I was involved with had children or may have children staying or visiting her. Lets be clear though. If you hide a relationship with somebody who has children/grandchildren, even if they’re just visiting, then you’ll be in serious bother.

If you explain all the facts to your new partner then its not a foregone conclusion that they will run a mile (although they might!!). You should be mindful that the police/social services may wish to conduct a risk assessment as to your risk and also your partner’s ability to protect their children from harm.

Many people simply avoid getting into a new relationship until they come off the Sex Offender Register even if it’s for 3, 5 or 7 years – that’s a decision only you can make.

Friends

You may have to start completely from scratch on this one. You may have friends who’ll stick by you, who are understanding and supportive. However, they may have friends who take a completely different view. If your friends have kids then spending an afternoon and evening at a barbeque can be difficult when you have to notify the police if you’re spending 12 hours in the home where there is an under-18 present.

Don’t be worried about making new friends – how and where you meet them will depend on your age and interests. Just remember to choose your friends carefully.

Things won’t always be plain sailing and can often be quite daunting but the future is achievable. Maybe not the kind you’re used to nor ideally what you want but it’s there.

Don’t let 1% of your life define the remaining 99%.

By Alex (name changed to protect identity)

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Going straight and loving it

I spent about 20 years of my life abusing drugs and grafting to pay for them (you name it, shoplifting, card fraud, car crime etc). I didn’t consider doing anything else, it was just a way of life for me.

Well, as you can no doubt imagine, the day came when my luck ran out – arrested, charged and convicted. A 6 year custodial sentence for drug dealing. It was probably the shock I needed although I didn’t quite see it that way at the time. When the judge handed down the sentence, it was hard to see any sort of light at the end of the tunnel.

I quickly realised there was no point in feeling sorry for myself. Nothing to be gained by sitting in a cell smoking, drinking coffee and watching television. I began to realise that I wasn’t getting any younger and ‘ducking and diving’ wasn’t for me anymore. I needed to go straight, give up my old ways. Only one problem – what would I do? What could I do?

I began signing up for courses which would give me new skills or knowledge and I really used my time constructively. When my release date arrived, I’d already got myself a job lined up with a company that gives ex-offenders a second chance.

I enjoyed the work and stayed for about 18 months. Since then, I’ve signed up with several agencies and I’ve been working in warehouse/production type jobs. I’m not afraid of hard work and I bring home about £450 per week.

I always disclose my convictions – I don’t want the hassle of my boss finding out and being sacked – its just not worth it. So far, disclosure hasn’t caused me too many problems. I think agencies and employers value my honesty. I’m realistic about what and where I can work and I know my limitations, but I’m working and doing OK. One of the agencies I’d signed on with gave me a temporary placement at a huge production company. I’ve worked really hard since I’ve been there, keen to let my current work do the talking, not my past. I’ve been with the company about a year now and it looks as though I’m about to be taken on by them directly. This will obviously give me a lot more security but will also open a lot more doors for me – a pension, promotion ………

Getting work these days is hard – even without a criminal record. All I can say is, stick with it and good luck.

By Michael (name changed to protect identity)

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From prisoner to Case Manager – Karen’s story

The article below was originally published on the Prisoners Education Trust website and we thought it would be of interest to people with convictions who are considering employment options available to them. Thanks to PET for giving up permission to re-post here.

In 2012, Karen received an 18-month prison sentence. She spent four and a half months in custody, only to re-enter prison the day after she was released to mentor female prisoners. She now works as a case manager and also specialist employment broker in a prison in the south of England. Here’s her story.

Before my case went to trial, everyone assured me that I wouldn’t be sent to prison. I was a single mother without a criminal record, being tried for a non-violent offence – I was told there was very little chance I would receive a custodial sentence. So when I was sentenced to 18 months in jail I hadn’t prepared myself at all. I’d left my daughter, who was eight, in Kent with a friend, just assuming that I’d be back that day – but obviously I wasn’t.

My sister had a break down when I told her – nothing like this had ever happened in my family. One day I was an independent person with a career and a child, the next moment it all fell apart – it was a complete nightmare.

Of course, my main worry was for my daughter. I hadn’t had the chance to explain to her what had happened, or to arrange who she would stay with. I spent a few days not knowing what would happen until eventually I was able to make a phone call and found out that she’d be able to stay with my brother. I was so relieved that she was in safe hands and would be able to go to school.

What turned everything around for me was beginning to act as a peer worker to other female prisoners. I helped with resettlement, training and education, and used my background in housing recruitment to develop relationships with local employers and get the women involved in voluntary work. I got so much from helping to empower women. A lot had never worked, were uneducated and lacked self-confidence. I met many who had come from abusive relationships and had been forced to work as prostitutes or sell drugs. For some, coming to prison was the first time they didn’t have men controlling them and were able to really think about what they wanted to do with their lives. Teaching someone to read and write is very empowering, and securing an interview or even a job made a huge difference to women, and gave them hope for their future after release.

Although it has now been recognised that there is a direct link between poor education and offending and better provision has been made in the prisons, I still get the feeling that it is very much about targets and ‘box ticking’. We need a much more bespoke service, where the individual needs of women are identified and met. Women need to be empowered; many have come from abusive relationships and they need the tools to have the courage and confidence to rebuild their lives, for themselves and their children. Not every woman wants to learn how to become a beautician or a hairdresser! There also needs to be a much broader, more relevant range of courses offered in female establishments, such as the distance-learning qualifications offered by Prisoners’ Education Trust. Education should be linked to skill shortages, such as plumbing and driving large goods vehicles.

Prisons need to recognise that we live in a world where women are as capable as men, in all areas of work and have the same desire and right to learn a skill that will facilitate a real chance of sustainable employment.

As my sentence was coming to an end and I was preparing to be released on licence, the regional head of employment, skills and learning asked if I would consider returning to the prison after my release to continue to mentor the women. This had never happened before in the history of the prison – when I told the other women they thought I was joking! When I first arrived back – the day after I was released – no one knew what to do with me, and initially I had to work off-site. But three years later I’m still working at the same prison – I’m a case manager commissioned by Women in Prison; also specialist employment broker commissioned by CXK, a charity which supports children, young people, adults and families. I’ve got my own keys and am a full member of staff, but I stay emotionally very close to the women, and I think this makes a huge difference when working with them.

I believe very strongly that a woman’s experience or prison life is very different and, in many ways much more complex than a man’s. We are in many ways stripped of what makes us female; away from our children and families.

The most painful thing for most women in prison is being unable to protect their children. As a mother myself, being separated from my daughter was agonising and made the sentence much harder to bear. There has to be other ways of sentencing female offenders; the current system (run primarily, I have to say, by men) is cruel and barbaric. How many women who are imprisoned actually pose a risk to society? We need to be better at looking at different ways of punishing women within the community. We also need to recognise that people don’t simply wake up one day thinking ‘I think I’ll commit a crime’, it’s linked to circumstances – abuse; domestic violence; poverty. We need to become better at supporting women and allowing them to make clear choices. A few months’ prison sentence doesn’t do anything apart from separate a woman from her children and put her at risk of losing her home and source of income.

That said; I believe everything happens for a reason. As a result of going to prison I’m stronger and I’m doing work that I’m really passionate about. Eventually, I was able to sit my daughter down and explain everything. I think it’s made our relationship stronger. She’s dealt with it very well, and she’s very proud of the work I’m doing empowering other women.

By Karen

This content originated from: Prisoners Education Trust website
Available at http://www.prisonerseducation.org.uk/stories/from-prisoner-to-case-worker-karens-story (last accessed May 2016)

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Policy work – Read more about Unlock’s Fair Access to Employment project.

University study is possible – but you’ll have to fight for it

Access to education and training is essential for those with criminal convictions who want to move on with their lives. However, gaining an academic place on any course when you have unspent criminal convictions – especially ones of a sexual nature – makes it virtually impossible. I found this out the hard way when I applied to do a course and was twice refused a place. I did eventually manage to overturn their decision and here’s what I’ve learnt along the way.

My criminal record destroyed my professional life and reputation. I had to resign from all my jobs, move away from the area and effectively start again. Warehouse and retail work paid the bills but I needed to plan for the future and to focus on a new career direction. But doing what? A Probation Officer had recommended that I consider a career in antiquing as, he claimed, ‘a lot of sex offenders I know open up antique shops’ – I couldn’t think of anything worse.

So, last September, I applied for a place on a Human Resource and Management course at a local university. It had a good syllabus and offered some interesting modules. I met all the academic requirements too. It looked perfect. I filled in the form, ticked the box to say I had unspent criminal convictions and made a full disclosure as requested. It did not take long for me to receive a forty five word email refusing me entry. I appealed but I was refused entry again. At this point, it would have been easy to walk away. Nobody would blame me. However, I decided it was worth one last effort. So, here’s what I did.

Research

The reasons given for declining me a place seemed inconsistent and confusing. All academic institutions must have clear policies on admissions which must be easily accessible. It was easy to get hold of the relevant documents and I soon discovered that the two refusals I’d received were based on the wrong criteria. The University should have carried out a detailed risk assessment and only refuse me entry if I posed ‘an unacceptable risk’.

I also used Unlock’s information hub and advice from others on their forum. It’s always good to know that you’re not alone and other people have been through similar experiences.

Write

The next step was to put together an appeal. I have a background in law, so being able to put together a document was not a problem. For anybody who struggles with this here are a few key pointers:-

Write a factual, evidence based document that shows you are not a risk of future offending/recidivism.
Adopt a professional, objective tone. Don’t write in a whining, ‘it’s not fair, I’ve been treated so harshly’ tone – they don’t care!
Provide evidence that you have taken responsibility for your choices and have sought to address your offending behaviour. What have you done to ensure it never happens again? Give context and where your offending behaviour sits on the sliding scale as defined by sentencing guidelines used by both magistrates and judges. Was it out of character? Were there other victims? Has there been similar offending in the past? Are you genuinely remorseful? Use reports and insight from external sources to corroborate this

Wait

From making my original application to actually receiving an offer of a place took six months. Be patient and don’t be surprised if it all takes much longer than you had hoped.

A month ago, all my hard work paid off when that letter came through the letter box overturning the original decision to keep me out and offering me a place on the course. I even did a little victory jig.

We all deserve a second chance, whatever we have done, but be prepared to fight for it – it certainly won’t be handed to you on a plate.

By Luke (name changed to protect identity)

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Moving on with fire in my belly

Back in June last year, after almost nine years in prison, I finally made it to open conditions. Wow, at long last, I could start to imagine a life for myself away from prison.

Soon after arriving at my new abode, I met with my offender supervisor who told me that in order to complete one final piece of offending behaviour work, I needed to attend a series of meeting with the local Fire Service. She didn’t expand on this and foolishly, I expected it to be a bit like one of those fire talks you get when you’re at school. You know the ones, a fireman comes into assembly and after a chat you get the chance to have a go in a fire engine.

How wrong could I be? During that first one hour session, my life seemed to spin away from me as I was told each and every barrier that I would face as I was tested for release, upon release and then for the rest of my life. Work (paid or voluntary), insurance, housing – all were going to be impossible for me to achieve.

To say I was a bit of a mess after that first meeting was an understatement. In fact, the Prison Governor suspended any further meetings until I was in a fit state to deal with them again.

I’m not going to lie or beat around the bush – I was in a seriously bad way and turned again to self-harming, the first time in over a year. I had a list of things that I needed to achieve prior to my parole for release and they all seemed to be lost to me. How could I possibly reduce my risk if I couldn’t fulfil all the aspects of doing so, such as securing a voluntary position?

Things didn’t turn around over-night. Instead, I had to focus on staying safe and doing what I could do fairly easily. This included accompanied town visits and abstaining from drugs and alcohol in what was still a very new and quite scary environment.

Then I had a life changer – my brother passed away at the age of just 40 and my mother needed me more than ever before. It was time to chance my arm, knuckle down, try to really move on and get somewhere.

Off I went to the peer-led working-out team who assisted us in finding work. I’d already seen an advertisement for volunteers to work on Unlock’s helpline and, having gained an NVQ Level 3 in Advice and Guidance, and having worked within different prisons in one peer mentoring job or another, I submitted my application and waited with bated breath.

I got an interview. Not only that, I got a job. It was a feeling so strong that it totally encapsulated me – I did have a future after all.

This is really where the story begins.

I’ve learnt so much in such a short space of time – for instance, insurers will give people with convictions insurance, companies will give people with convictions a job. It might not be easy, but it can happen.

But that’s not all. I’m working with new people now, new colleagues and a huge range of service users. This has really helped to rebuild my shattered confidence. I leave the prison twice a week to do a normal job and in those two days I feel like a normal part of society again. The things that last June seemed impossible, were not only possible but they’re happening to me right now.

In January, the sessions with the Fire Officer recommenced. I can tell you now that I walked in there much taller and stronger than before. I thanked the Fire Officer for his previous honesty but told him how I had been able to not only challenge, but also overcome the stigma of my conviction since our first meeting. I’m working, I’ve had my first home-leave to approved premises that will initially be my home upon release. I’m soaking up every bit of new information I can to help me now and in the future.

The Fire Officer didn’t say too much to me at the time. However, he’s been in touch with me since and told me that I’m not the only one that’s learnt something new. After listening to my story he’s completed changed his perspective – he’s told me that in the future when he deals with somebody in my situation, he’ll be happy to use me as an example of what can be achieved with a little determination and hard work.

So, what has volunteering done for me? It’s opened closed doors and given me the belief that life doesn’t have to end the day you’re convicted. It can just be the start of a different life.

By Frankie (name changed to protect identity)

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Discuss this issue – There are some interesting discussions related to volunteering from people with convictions on our online forum

Story Type: Successes

Celebrating the achievement of an outstanding learner

I didn’t know the real sentence would start after leaving prison

Seeing the legal system from both sides – and becoming a solicitor!

Five years in the life of a person with conviction

From brothel to boardroom

Functioning on a daily basis with a sexual offences order

Going straight and loving it

From prisoner to Case Manager – Karen’s story

University study is possible – but you’ll have to fight for it

Moving on with fire in my belly

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