“Have you ever been convicted” or “Do you have a criminal record” — is there a difference?

Do you spot the difference?

To the unlearned eye, they might seem to mean the same thing? But they’re not. And I think there’s something to be said…

The hidden people with convictions, or just ordinary people?

I’m constantly struck by how many ‘hidden’ people have convictions. Pretty much every time I go out and about, at meetings, events and training sessions, somebody usually comes up to me and says “just to let you know, I’ve…

Are the changes to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act enough?

People with criminal convictions are not the most popular group in society. However, once somebody has served their sentence and doesn’t re-offend, it’s in everybody’s interests to enable them to move on positively with…

The biggest week of my life?

It’s not often that I talk (or write) about myself when it comes to my job. Or at least not so publically. But early March was certainly the exception that. Without over-exaggerating, it could probably be regarded as the biggest week of my life so far.

Should high-profile jobs (like footballers) be treated differently when employing people released from prison? The Ched Evans case

The case of Ched Evans has hit the headlines once again as news reports announce that he’s due for release…

Preparing for landing with an open mind

When I was on my flight to Spain over the weekend, I was trying to think about what it’s like over in Spain. What’s it like to have a criminal record? I wonder if they do criminal record checks in the same way as the UK? I wonder if people face similar…

Learning from other European Countries

I’m delighted (and feel very fortunate) to be awarded a Winston Churchill Memorial Trust Travelling Fellowship. This is a great opportunity to learn more about how other countries deal with criminal records, and how we could take some of the good policy and…

Why do employers want to know about criminal records? Let’s go back to basics!

This was the question I was asked the other day by someone I met in Spain as part of my Winston Churchill Fellowship. It came after I’d explained about the ferocious appetite in the UK, from…

Merging insurance and mental health — an Irish Pub experience!

On my first night in Barcelona. I hate to admit this, but travelling alone, and not being able to speak very good Spanish, I found myself having dinner in an Irish pub — my excuse was that the Arsenal v Tottenham game was…