On the 25th May 2018, the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) come into effect, changing the way that personal data is protected. Your right to request information about your personal data will remain relatively unchanged. However, the previous fee of £10 for a Subject Access Request (SAR) has been abolished, meaning that SAR’s will now […]
If you’ve got an unspent conviction you might want to think twice before using a comparison website for insurance
We all know that using a comparison website is a really quick and easy way of getting a range of quotes for things like insurance or other utilities. However, if you’ve got an unspent conviction then using a comparison website may not be the best option for you and we’d always advise that you contact […]
Moving on: Employment after release
This month, we’ve written a further article for InsideTime ‘Through the Gate’ Section which focuses on employment after release. A copy of the article can be found below. On release from prison, and possibly for some time after, your conviction will be technically ‘unspent’ – this means you’ll need to disclose it to an employer […]
Moving on: The Rehabilitation of Offenders Act and the benefits of a spent conviction
This month, we’ve written another article for Inside Times ‘Through the Gate’ section which focuses on the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act. A copy of the article can be found below. How do I know when my conviction will become spent and what will that mean for me? The Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (ROA) gives […]
Basic criminal record checks launched today by the DBS
From today, the 17th January 2018, basic criminal record checks can now be obtained directly from the Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) This is a significant development for both people with criminal records and employers in England & Wales. Basic checks are a type of criminal record check that can be used by employers and […]
How do the police deal with offences relating to youth produced sexual imagery (‘sexting’)
‘Sexting’, defined as ‘the taking and sharing of sexual images of children by children’ is seen by many as being pretty harmless. However, in the eyes of the law, it is illegal. Doing any of the following means that you’ll probably be deemed to be breaking the law: Take an explicit photograph or video of […]
Problems with manual DBS certificates and the DBS update service – has this happened to you?
In their guidance to employers for the update service, the Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) state that: An employer can check someone’s DBS certificate status online and get a result straight away” This ability to check someone’s criminal record quickly and start them working almost immediately is seen as a benefit to employers. Many employers […]
Moving on: Applying to university
This month, we’ve written another article for Inside Times ‘Through the Gate’ section which focuses on applying to university. A copy of the article can be found below. I’m thinking of applying to university when I leave prison. Will my criminal record cause me a problem? For many people, prison can be an ideal opportunity to improve […]
Have you applied to be a trustee of a charity with a criminal record? If so, we’d like to hear from you
People with criminal records play an important role in many charities, especially those working in the criminal justice sector. However, if you’ve been convicted of an offence involving dishonesty or deception and the conviction is unspent, you’re currently disqualified from becoming a trustee of a charity and must therefore seek a waiver from the Charity […]
What’s new from ACRO Criminal Records Office?
Unless you’ve travelled abroad and needed a police certificate or applied for a subject access request (SAR) to help get a better understanding of your criminal record, you may never have come across ACRO Criminal Records Office (ACRO). They have just published their annual report for 2016/17 showing an annual income of almost £13 million and […]