1

Dear frienDs, it is with mixed feelings that i write this article to announce that i have stepped down as CeO of UnLOCK from March 31st, though i will remain closely involved in a voluntary capacity.

UnLOCK has been my life for the past twelve years and during that time we have achieved things that all others said were impossible; bank accounts for serving prisoners, insurance for reformed offenders and their families. and we stood strong on the right for prisoners to have the vote.

i have advised Ministers and Judges to help reduce offending and to eradicate discrimi-nation of reformed offenders and this will continue. i am a patron of several charities and have been asked to be a consultant to them and others. i shall still be doing conference talks, after dinner speaking, radio and TV appearances.

i have met some truly beautiful people in my work and made many friends from all social backgrounds, and they will remain dear friends. i would like to thank all of

you that have supported UnLOCK over the years, without you it would not exist. i would like to thank my friends in Parliament who have helped

me and acted upon my advice. i would also like to thank the media for allowing me a voice to highlight the discrimination our members

face every day.i thank you, the UnLOCK members and volunteers, who have helped make this charity what it is today. i would like to

thank our Patrons for their support and our Trustees who have been a great support to me. i would like to thank Lord

ramsbotham our President for his friendship, guidance and support over these years. He is, and always will be,

a true inspiration to me and others. i would also like to thank our Vice President Judge John samuels

for his wise council and friendship.But most of all, i need to thank the staff at UnLOCK who have stood with me in the good and bad times and will carry on their amazing work; Julie, Debbie, Christopher and Chris. i leave my cher-ished charity in the capable hands of Chris Bath, who i know will lead it in a professional way and make me proud.

so thank you all for sharing this wonder-ful journey with me and know i shall continue to

fight your corner out there in the big bad world.My love and best wishes to you all.

The Record The free newsletter for law-abiding people facing discrimination and inequality as a result of a criminal record

Issue 10

www.unlock.org.uk april 2012 forum.unlock.org.uk

thank you

Issue 10

BoBBy Cummines

inDexP1 Thank you

P2 editor’s Letter, employment secured

P3 new executive Director

P4 Bank on it

P5 Labour’s Position on Rehab

P6 Writing with Conviction

P7 second Chance: one Way Train

P8 second Chance: scar Tissue

P9 unLoCK Vocal

P10 Press & media

2

WELCoME Letter from the Editor

eRiCA CRomPTon

as anOTHer month passes by, and we wrap up another

edition of The record, we’ve sorted the wheat from the chaff of all things to do with

reformed offenders. This month the latest news from UnLOCK runs alongside your own stories of success despite having a criminal record. Our columnist David Honeywell also wonders about

how useful education is in terms of his own rehabilitation.

ahead of almost 12 months of The record (as you may recall, we first published in May 2011) we’ve also decided it’s the perfect time to reflect on how we can make this publication even better. We’re thrilled that UnLOCK volunteer Laura has devised a way to let you feedback on what you like about

The record and how you think it can be improved. and as always we’re looking for more of your stories to publish in upcoming editions. so do get in touch.

Most importantly, this month we say a fond farewell to Bobby Cummines, who has been fighting our corner as UnLOCK’s CeO for 12 years. i hope you join me in wishing Bobby the best for the future.

EMPLoyMEnt SECuREDAnDReW HenLey

a neW section of the UnLOCK information and advice service provides detailed guidance to mem-bers interested in applying for work in the security industry. Contrary to popu-

lar belief a previous convic-tion need not act as an outright

bar to obtaining the required industry licence for jobs such as

door supervision and security guard-ing. The security industry authority

(sia) are exempt from the rehabilita-tion of Offenders act 1974 and appli-

cations for licences are subject to a standard CrB check

revealing both spent and unspent convictions.

However, the sia does have a

detailed process for assessing licence applications from people with a criminal record which takes into account factors such as the seriousness of the offences, the sentence given and how recent the offences were. Under the rules of the sia, applicants will automatically be rejected for a licence unless they have been free of any sentence restrictions attached to a conviction for at least 12 months before your licence apply-ing (and up to 5 years in more serious cases). However, beyond this point the sia will consider mitigation in relation to a criminal record such as evidence of other influencing factors, character references and evidence of rehabilitation since the offence. The fee for processing the licence is currently £220 for all appli-cations including renewal of licences and this fee is non-refundable regardless of whether the application is successful in obtaining a licence. Members would, therefore, be well advised to thoroughly read the sia guidance before submitting an application.

for links to information on train-ing and qualifications for the security industry and details of how sia licence applications from people with convic-tions are assessed, visit the UnLOCK information Hub here.

2 3

We are delighted to announce the appointment of Chris Bath to the post of executive Director of UnLOCK. The appointment is a key part of a strategic change process initiated by Bobby Cummines, who formally retired as CeO on March 31st 2012 after 10 years at the helm.

Many of you will already know Chris as a result of his various roles at UnLOCK, most recently as Director of Operations. Prior to UnLOCK, Chris achieved a first class degree in management from Warwick Business school before gaining practical experience with leading compa-nies including Unilever and BMW. since joining UnLOCK in 2005, he has led many aspects of our work including proj-ect delivery and management, research, strategic planning, financial management and fundraising. He’s also been a key con-tributor to our policy and media work and, as those of you who have met him will know, he is deeply passionate about the cause.

i am sure that you will join with us in wishing Bobby the best of luck in pursu-ing his personal projects. as those of you who know him will appreciate, he is quite unique and we are thrilled that he will remain closely involved with UnLOCK in a voluntary capacity. succession plan-ning for sustainability has been a key focus for Bobby in recent years and the Board agreed with him that Chris’ seven year ‘apprenticeship’ provides him with the right mix of skills, understanding and passion to lead the next phase of UnLOCK’s development.

These are difficult economic times for our beneficiaries and for small charities. However, continuous renewal and rein-vention are the hallmarks of successful organisations and we know UnLOCK’s small but dynamic team of staff and volunteers is well equipped to tackle the challenges ahead.

as ever, we are grateful for your contin-ued support as UnLOCK continues to tackle the discrimination and inequality facing reformed offenders.

nEW ExECutIvE DIRECtoR aPPoIntEDunLoCK TRusTees

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4

One Key problem faced by ex-prisoners is lack of access to a bank account. Without that, employers may be reluctant to give them a job and landlords are sometimes unwilling to rent even a room.

However most High street banks do not offer even basic banking facilities to ex-prisoners as they do not have the list of former addresses, identity documents and credit history required.

Understandably, while banks have the right to determine which customers they offer bank accounts to and a duty to protect their existing customers and the wider economy from risks such as fraud, money laundering and the financing of terrorism, shouldn’t there be more help for ex-offenders to open bank accounts?

While several schemes have been rolled out for ex-prisoners to access bank accounts, all basic bank account providers may exclude people convicted of fraud. and this was made clear from the Money advice service booklet on basic bank accounts.

However, it is not clear whether ‘may’ means ‘they might’ or ‘may’ in this instance means ‘they have the ability

to, so they will’. There is no single definition of what is meant by the term ‘fraud’. However, any false representa-tion, abuse of position or the prejudic-ing of someone’s rights for personal gain can be deemed as criminal activity and can therefore fall under the umbrella of fraud.

Banks commonly share information when assessing potential risk and this would usually fall into one of the follow-ing 3 categories: Convictions under the fraud act 2006 - fraud against financial institutions - fraudulent benefit claims.

Cifas (Credit industry fraud avoid-ance system) is a not for profit member-ship association representing the private and public sectors and is dedicated to the prevention of fraud, including staff fraud and the identification of finan-cial and related crime. it is not the only

fraud detection agency which offers services in this

area but it would appear to be the most visible.

it is worth noting, though, if you have been declined for a product or ser-vice, then there are a number of reasons why your application may have been refused. it may possibly be due to infor-mation on your credit file or for reasons related to an organisation’s credit scor-ing systems or specific lending policy.

you have the right to ask the organisa-tion for a manual review of your applica-tion and, if the organisation’s decision remains unchanged, they should be able to indicate to you their reason(s) for refusal. although Cifas information is not used as part of any credit scor-ing systems, organisations may refer to Cifas data (among other data sources) during its application handling process.

you can find more details by following this link here.

Bank on It

Con-tRIButEThe Record Needs You

THe reCOrD is always looking for contributions from members and reformed offenders. We’d love to hear your ideas for contributions. all are welcome, from photographs to fiction, hard news to encouraging success stories. send a brief outline of your idea to newsletter@unlock.org.uk and we will be in touch with you as soon as possible to discuss your idea further.

DAViD HoneyWeLL

4 5

WhERE DoES LaBouR StanD on REhaBILItatIon?

AnDReW HenLey

HaVing reCenTLy been relieved of his duties as political editor at the news of the World (which is a bit like calling The Count from sesame street a ‘chief economist’) David Wood-ing finds himself at The sun churning out the sort of ‘hate-of-the-day’ pieces which the Murdoch press is famous for. earlier this month we were told that “Violent criminals are raking in an extra £15 mil-lion in housing benefit – to have a home on their own” and how “MPs reacted with fury at the benefits loophole”.

included in the story for good mea-sure is the usual bleating about how public money is being wasted from the Taxpayer’s alliance (which with its claimed 20,000 supporters represents all of 0.04% of the adult population of Britain) and the now obligatory quote from a Labour MP subdividing the whole of society into “decent people” and “crim-inals” (though he doesn’t specify which category a colleague who head-butts a political opponent in a parliamentary bar falls into).

given that reform of the rehabili-tation of Offenders act would assist many people with previous convictions with their housing issues by potentially reducing the cost of home insurance and increasing their chances of find-ing employment, one has to ask where Labour stands on the issue of rehabilita-tion. i recently sent a message to shadow Justice Minister andy slaughter MP on why he chose to attack (in The sun) the very limited rOa reforms which the coalition government was proposing. answer came there none.

One can only conclude that Labour want to oppose any measures to provide additional support to ex-offenders via the benefits system at the same time as opposing reforms which would make them less likely to be dependent on that system in the first place. some might call this sitting on the fence. i call it penal populism of the most cynical kind.

read more of andrew Henley’s news, views and liberal musings at andre-whenley.wordpress.com

FEEDBaCkTell us what you think of The Record

UnLOCK volunteer Laura has been hard at work col-lating feedback for various areas of UnLOCK’s work. and we’re wondering what you think of The record too? What do you like about it and how do you think it could be improved? Views can be seen published on this page here and if you’d like to submit your own views, we’d love to hear! Just log on and tell us what you think, by clicking this link. it can be anonymous if you like too – but basically, the more the merrier. We hope you’ll join us with your thoughts and help make The record even better!

|

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6

WRItInG WIth ConvICtIon

One Of the major things that i can always attribute to my self reha-bilitation is education. and i will always be grateful to thosewho made it possible for me to enter university. But apart from higher education and

gaining degrees, i have benefited equally from other courses

of study in

further education which also helped me along my personal journey. When i first left prison in 1998, i had aspirations to be an academic with ambitions beyond my wildest dreams. and after graduat-ing, anything seemed possible with two degrees to my name. The fact is, neither have ever done me any good whatsoever in terms of a career move. and to be fair, there are hundreds - if not thou-sands of graduates with clean slates, who are unable to use their degrees. for me though, education was more to do with being a great leveller psychologically. and proving to many who thought i was a ‘write-off’, that i wasn’t. But all that’s

in the past now and it’s 14 years since i was released from prison to go to uni-versity, and nine years since i graduated. Had i ever actually known that i would never be allowed to climb the career ladder from my newly gained qualifica-tions, i would never have started them. However, i have learned to appreciate the personal development education helped me achieve. apart from educa-tion straightening me out mentally, so has physical fitness. as someone whose life was plagued with depression, i appreciated how it was always a fan-tastic way of alleviating depression and anxiety. i wish i would have dragged myself off the gym more than the pub in those days, but hindsight is a wonderful thing. as always, not being satisfied with just reading about a subject, i decided to go and do a level 2 fitness instructor course. i suppose i naively thought i could gain employment from it too. But the CrB put paid to that. although Higher education had a huge impact on me, it has been writing and exercise, which have had the most beneficial and therapeutic effects on my life. The ‘feel good factor’ is better than any drug or alcoholic beverage. and i’ve now had a reminder that it is the simplest things in life that make you happy. it is so true that the best things in life are not free, but being free is the best thing in life.

DAViD HoneyWeLL

6 7

Ten years worth of bumps and scrapes led me to my prison cell, with two years to serve and a grim future ahead. i felt this sentence would shatter my future prospects and i feared that my life would be a career of crime. i decided during my sentence that i value my freedom too much to let this happen again and vowed to do something about my future.

On my release employment was a major barrier for me and, like many ex-offenders, i needed money. i had a family to take care of and i was bored! after many failed interviews i was very happy to get a job as an iT helpdesk advisor. But my delight was short lived as the very next day my phone rang and the dreaded unspent con-victions question came up. at that precise moment my hopes vanished.

Later that very same day i was told by my probation officer about “n-ergy group” and the work they do, “They can actually help you,” she said. “Here we go again,” i thought, “why would anyone want to help me?” yet i took her advice and decided

to research “n-ergy group” and give them a call. i was asked to meet with their employability Manager to discuss PTs rail Work and any other options that maybe available to me.

i was all set for a life on the railway tracks until i spoke to glyn. He made me aware of a vacancy with “n-ergy” as an ‘employability advisor’ which he felt i could be well suited. The role involves com-municating with offenders and ex-offenders with a view to placing them into voluntary work, paid work or further education.

This was my chance so i took it, grabbing it with both hands. i had to travel to Wales for an interview and it paid off, i got the job! at “n-ergy” i work with a great team of professionals and soon we will be based in our brand new recruitment offices at Weston College in Weston super Mare, north somerset. With a few successes under my belt, i find it to be a very rewarding job.

i get a lot of satisfaction from knowing

that i am helping others through a very difficult period in their lives. i know what it’s like and i can now help them to get them away from going down the wrong path in life.

“n-ergy group” has given me a purpose, they have let me lead by example – if i can do it so can yOU!

SEConD ChanCEone Way Train To employment

JAne smiTH

8

scar Tissue“n”

i Was raised mostly by my father in the Dominican republic with a life filled with corruption. i was expected to join him for drinks and partying with different women since the age of 6. sounds crazy but this was my reality. The sad part is that this felt normal as the culture accepted this behaviour as bonding with Dad. i realised the psychological and emotional abuse i endured when i arrived to the Usa in 1990, at 10 years old. it was a change of culture and lifestyle. i was depressed and confused because all the things that were inappropriate but encouraged in D.r. - like getting drunk and having sex as a kid - were prohibited by my Mum and stepdad. They happened to be a strict and hot-tempered detective with certain ethical expectations which to me were foreign and were always disapproved my real Dad’s perception of the norms. This did not help me, instead it confused me even more! it didn’t get any better as i felt outcast by my own Mom, as she would remind me of how much i looked and acted like my Dad who she hated tre-mendously for what he put her through when they were married. Moving for-ward, being a misguided, depressed teen full of potential, i found acceptance and sense of belonging with the thugs from school, guys that were up to no good. They felt at that time like the family i didn’t have at home, they made me feel understood and accepted. eventually, i got caught up in a life of petty crimes mostly out to prove myself, negative use of my potential mostly due to the influence of my peers, lack of guidance, and out of alcoholism adrenaline. it started with graffiti which ironically made me discover i had a gift for painting, and ended with breaking into cars to take for joyrides and racing with the others. However, my life changed at 22 when i rolled over the tractor trailer i drove. everyone said i had an angel that day because there’s no other way i made

it out a l i v e . in 2003, my best friend encouraged me to get into college to try to get looked at for baseball which i was naturally good at just like many other talents i have. While in college in 2003, and through education and associa-tion with positive peers, i found a never

ending hunger to excel in everything. i played baseball for the college, became a senator for the student government

SEConD ChanCE

8 9

association, and received a nursing degree with honours.

However once i started looking for jobs as a professional rn is when i started seeing and experiencing discrimi-nation due to a long and petty past. now i have obtained my bachelors in nursing with a 3.8 gPa, working in an intensive care unit trying to get experience needed to apply to nurse anaesthesia school to get my masters in what is considered the pinnacle of nursing careers and as com-petitive as Med school. Like anything else in life i won’t stop until i reach my dream, but it is discouraging to see in so many anaesthesia program applications with the questions that always haunts those of us who made mistakes in the past and are more than rehabilitated. Have you ever been convicted of a crime? it’s unfair that someone who never got convicted for felonies but made misdemeanour mis-takes over 10 years ago, and has been fully rehabilitated with superb credentials, has limited chances of getting into grad school because organisations and uni-versities don’t revise the question to one that measures length of time rehabilitated like research states and supports the appli-

cation should state. a registered nurse or any professional that like myself had to go through a colossal and procedural background check and board approval to get my rn License, shouldn’t have to face discrimination. as a result of having a record i had to experience discrimination at multiple job interviews and the dis-missal of my credentials as well. all which occurred after the recruiter found out that i had a record. Over the years i developed anxiety, insomnia and in a way a form of PTsD as this has become a chronic situational crisis. i fear rejection and being stereotyped as a delinquent, or harassed at interviews or defamation of my character by those who illegally looked through my confidential Hr files at work. This makes me almost have to act “super-human” in order to feel as an equal. it’s like a feeling of being sup-pressed by society over something i have no control over until the law changes! Perhaps god let this happen to me so i could help others be strong, and fight for their rights and dreams. Which is why i am supporting and hoping that with stories like mine and organisations like UnLOCK we can overcome these

barriers. There are laws like “the second chance law” that can make a difference. in ny, if you have been convicted of a felony, after years of rehabilitation and other good moral behaviours, you may be eligible for expungement of your record. However, individuals that have certain misdemeanours don’t have that choice, instead we have to go through life having to disclose our records because that law hasn’t changed in ny. The second chance law will be a major civil breakthrough if it gets passed. i hope to collaborate with the UnLOCK team someday if possible to do a documentary or research focusing on the stress or psychological disorders that individuals with a record have directly developed as a result of the humiliation faced by rehabilitated individuals that must live in the shadows, perform supe-rior to their peers to get acknowledged, many continue the recidivism cycle due to society not giving them their fair well-earned second chance. Or just can’t propel in their careers because their record out-performs their god given talent. i hope my story reaches out to you and makes an impact! Perhaps together we can help change the world.

SEConD ChanCE

1. ask the community a question - My first offence - 17 years later i still have to disclose???? new member bant gets to grips with unLoCK’s Disclosure Calculator. Click here

2. ask the community a question - Car insurance for new young driver ianC points new member Adam in the right direction for insurers. Click here

3. employment – affect of record on engineering sector members RG and moving_on dis-cuss the engineering sector. Click here

4. Housing – Does anyone know any letting agents who accept reformed offenders?. Dave50 and members discuss a landlord’s right to request previous convictions. Click here

5. Other areas of life - Choosing a solicitor: from arrest to plea, a practical guide. Wise words from ianC and guidance for people new to the CJs. Click here

unLoCk voCaLyou HAVe youR sAy AT foRum.unLoCK.oRG.uK

equality for reformed offenders

10

SuBSCRIPtIonS

• The Record is distributed to all UnLOCK Members who subscribe with an email address and are happy to be contacted by UnLOCK via email

• To subscribe to receive The Record you can register, free of charge, as an UnLOCK Member, here

• To unsubscribe, email with the sub-ject line “Unsubscribe The record” to chris.bath@unlock.org.uk

unLoCk MEDIaA round-up of relevant news

***

• The Daily Mail - Convicts leaving prison told to join Work scheme or lose dole money under new proposals – click here

• BBC news – spent convictions time reduction proposed – click here

• HrMagazine.co.uk - Business lead-ers and MPs move to create recruit-ment opportunities for ex-offenders – click here

• BBC Today - grayling outlines ex-prisoner job plan – click here

• People Management - Cash incentives for hiring ex-offenders announced – click here

• The sun – Benefits fiends, rapists and robbers get £15m extra handouts for home of their own – click here

• LifeafterHate.org – The art of forgive-ness Part 1 – click here

• LifeafterHate.org – The art of forgive-ness Part 2 – click here

• The star Tribune - Tevlin: forgiveness, hope win out over crime in juvenile court – click here

• The guardian - Playing it by the book: ex-con pens a prison guide for the unini-tiated – click here

EDItoRIaL • Email newsletter@unlock.org.uk• Web www.unlock.org.uk• Forum forum.unlock.org.uk• Post 35a High street, snodland,

Kent, Me6 5ag

• Editor erica Crompton• Executive Editor Chris Bath

• The Record’s content may be reproduced providing UnLOCK is referenced as the source

• We welcome submissions to The Record sent to newsletter@unlock.org.uk, how-ever publication is not guaranteed.

aDvERtISInG • To discuss advertising opportunities in

The Record, please contact Chris Bath at chris.bath@unlock.org.uk