Page 7 - The Record

FEATURE

commensurate with my colleagues, I applied and got the job. However, when it came to my contract of employment having
to be drawn up by HR, they had some real concerns about my criminal record. My line manager was apparently told by HR

It’s a risk taking him on and, if anything goes wrong, you’ll have to pay the
consequences”

Luckily my line manager knew me reasonably well and knew all about my criminal
record. I’d managed to build up a good relationship with him and he was happy to
fight my corner. I wouldn’t have blamed him if he’d chosen to turn his back on me;
he had a mortgage to pay and a family to support and being told that it would be
his fault if I messed up was unfair. It might have been too much for him and
stopped him from giving me a chance.

However, he did take the risk and I’ve been working for the service for the last 12
years. I’ve become a specialist in my field and qualified in Youth Justice in 2013.
I’ve created programme after programme that have supported children in desisting
from offending and therefore reduced the number of potential victims. I’ve also
written a book called “Your Honour Can I Tell You My Story?”

As people with convictions, we’re in a unique position to assist others
to make better choices. However, due to the DBS process, we’re the least
likely to obtain such positions. Lots of us are disadvantaged from the start
of our lives. 25% of adults in prison were in care and up to 42% excluded
from school.

Criminal records are a barrier, however a lack of education, gaps in
employment history and an inability to articulate our stories without
employers believing we are shirking responsibility are also barriers.

Inclusion is the heart beat of preventing re-offending so we
must focus on this. We must find a way of better regulating
the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act to ensure employers are
not discriminating against people on the basis of their
convictions. People with convictions have so much to offer
and like me, will forever be grateful to the organisations that
believed in us and recognised our strengths and not just the
‘risk’ we pose.

I believe living in a risk averse society is a significant factor
in why our re-offending rates post custody for young people and adults are so high. Probation don’t always assist offenders in
this area focusing instead on public protection. They often create further barriers by sharing risk information with employers
when the individual chooses not to.

This is not strengths based and I don’t believe this is an approach that keeps the public safe. Yes we need to protect the public
but each case is different. People that are seeking employment are trying to move away from offending. If I’m right, we are
socially marginalising this particular group and increasing the risk of re-offending so an alternative approach is required for
those upon release from custody with inclusion at it’s core.

Andi

www.the-record.org.uk 07 |