Details of our latest advice for people with criminal records
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 […]
‘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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
The majority of our information around disclosing to an employer assumes that you will be declaring a criminal record for which you have accepted some guilt. And as a charity, Unlock focuses on supporting people who have accepted responsibility for their actions and are now looking to move forward with their life. But, how do […]
This month, we’ve written another article for Inside Times ‘Through the Gate’ section which focuses on dealing with information that’s available about you online. A copy of the article can be found below. As you prepare to leave prison and start considering applying for jobs or housing, you might also have to think about the risk of […]
If you’re not asked about your criminal record then, legally, you don’t need to disclose any unspent convictions, but in our opinion, withholding this information means that your advisor may not be able to provide you with the best information, advice or service. So, are there any other benefits in choosing to disclose? The role […]
Any organisation can apply for a basic criminal record check on members of their staff which will disclose unspent cautions/convictions. However, there are some jobs which would require you to disclose spent convictions. Many people are aware that if they’re applying for a job which involves working with children or vulnerable adults, then they’ll need to disclose […]
Changes to the DBS filtering rules -
Will you still need to disclose your criminal record?
Read our response to the government's plans, and find out more about the impact of these changes will have on you. There's also a brief guide available to download.