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                                                In The News...




        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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