The transformative potential of higher education should be available for all.
People with criminal records can face numerous challenges accessing higher education. Poor university policy & practice alongside existing unfairness in wider society can form barriers to access that can feel overwhelming. We hear from people every day who are left feeling that higher education simply ‘isn’t for them’.
Widening access and participation plans encourage admissions and success for groups of people who are typically underrepresented in higher education. They rarely reference people with criminal records, despite work by both Office For Students and UCAS highlighting the need for support for this group.
Improving access to higher education for people with criminal records is likely to improve access to higher education across numerous widening participation groups (see chapter two for a further exploration of disproportionality in the criminal justice system).
Unlock hears every day from people with criminal records. We believe people want to lead a positive life and when opportunity unleashes their potential they contribute great things. For many, long-term discrimination means the end of a sentence is only the beginning of a life with a criminal record. For people with criminal records, higher education can offer a bridge to a positive future.
The view from Unlock
We operate a helpline that offers specialist criminal records advice. We conducted a review of the helpline for the year 2022-2023 for records relating to higher education and identified a series of common themes and challenges. They mirror what we’ve heard over years of working alongside people applying to higher education with a criminal record.
We noticed that:
- People feel unsure whether they will be able to access higher education and felt vulnerable asking for guidance. Many feared they would be discriminated against on the basis of their criminal record and worried about the opportunities they might miss.
- Those who had made an application were not sure what parts of a criminal record they were being asked to disclose. Questions were confusing or did not provide enough detail, so people were left guessing about what information they were expected to share.
- Many people had received their criminal record as a young person, highlighting the systemic barriers some applicants may have already faced before considering higher education
- The average length of time since a caller had received their criminal record was 13 years. This is clear evidence of the long-term impacts a criminal record can have, and suggests that more questions might be asked about how relevant this information really is for access to most courses.
People with criminal records can access our helpline confidentially if they choose, so it would not be appropriate for us to share personal stories from our records. Instead, the following are a series of examples of the types of experiences we hear about regularly:
Leon got a criminal record at 18 for shoplifting. They are now 25. They would like to become a teacher, but have avoided applying for years because they assumed they wouldn’t be able to with a criminal record. In fact, the University in question wouldn’t consider this kind of criminal record to pose a barrier to a teaching degree. However, the University provides no information about how a criminal record might be treated on application. Leon gets in touch with Unlock to share their concerns and seek advice.
Chun served two months in prison 4 years ago for non-payment of a TV licence fine. She struggled significantly with debt for 10 years, but is now in control of her finances and her life is much more stable. She wants to study journalism, but can’t find any information regarding whether she will need to disclose her time in prison to the University she’s chosen. There is an admissions email address she could contact, but there’s no mention of who answers this inbox- asking an unnamed stranger to provide a criminal record policy feels exposing. Chun is worried that she’ll not be taken seriously as a prospective journalist if the course leaders know about her history.
Harry previously had a negative relationship with drugs, and has a series of convictions for theft and supply from this time in his life. He has been working at a youth boxing project for several years; he is passionate about helping others navigate the challenges he faced in youth. He would like to study for a sports degree to be an even more effective support worker. However, he can’t find any information about how his criminal record might affect his application or his access to placements. Harry feels stuck and alone.
Anjum has a conviction for common assault from when she was a teenager and got into a fight at school. She has been volunteering with her local council refugee programme for 2 years, who know about her conviction. She would like to train as a social worker. Her choice of University rejected her application because they don’t think placement providers will accept her with a conviction for assault. Anjum is unsure if this is how her conviction will be treated at every University, but is reluctant to go through a disappointing & distressing application process again.
