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Are you female and have a criminal record? We

want to hear from you!

Article: Christopher Stacey Date: 30 August 2019
A criminal record can be a real faced after they’ve received their
obstacle in getting on in life. criminal record, we’re also keen
What we don’t know is whether to identify any issues that might
women face additional barriers relate to earlier on in the process
that men don’t. that had an impact later on in
terms of the criminal record and
Last year, we published a report its consequences.
(A life sentence for young peo-
ple) that looked at the specific We’re keen to hear from women
problems people face from with every type of criminal
criminal records they acquired record – so whether you’ve been
in their youth. In July this year, fined, spent time in prison, had a
we published a report (Double caution or spent time on proba-
discrimination?) that focused on tion, we want to hear from you
the impact of criminal records about the problems your criminal
as perceived by people from record has caused for you.
black, Asian and minority ethnic These recommendations will be read our full privacy policy on
backgrounds. We also want to hear from prac- shared with people who have the our website. You can fill out the
titioners and organisations that power to make things better. online survey here.
Now we want to understand the have experience in this area. We’ve put together an online
structural barriers women face in survey for women with a criminal There’s also an option to put your
terms of their criminal record. Your answers will be treated record – it should only take about email address if you’re happy
in confidence and will directly 15 minutes, all responses will for us to contact you about your
Although our focus is mainly inform our recommendations for be confidential and no personal response.
on the issues that women have structural and practical changes. details shared externally. You can
Baking the world a better place! As we all know, securing a the various courses she was
job with a criminal record expected to do but, unlike a
Bringing about social change and reducing the can be extremely difficult and lot of the usual courses offered
stigma of a criminal record via a bakery business those thinking about self-em- by probation, Francesca was
ployment can often be held
introduced to a course being
Article: The Record Date: 23 August 2018 back by a lack of funding and run by Virtuous Bread.
sometimes the confidence to
go it alone. Having recently Virtuous had received funding
come across The Barker Baker, from Ex Cell and the Hope
I was amazed to discover that Foundation to teach six
the company came about as a individuals, being supervised
result of a course run by the by probation the essentials
Probation Service together of setting up a micro bakery.
with the passion and motiva- Francesca was one of six se-
tion of somebody who wanted lected to go on the course.
to bring about social change
and reduce the stigma of hav- After completing the course,
ing a criminal record. Here’s Francesca knew that baking
The Barker Baker’s story. was her future. After setting
up a crowdfunding page she
Approximately 5 years ago managed to raise £467 from
Francesca received an 18 people all over the UK and so
month suspended sentence for began her baking business.
a fraud offence and began her
supervision sessions with her Read more on this story at
probation officer. She attended www.the-record.org.uk

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