By Nicola Collett
In the UK, there are over 12.5 million people living with a criminal record (henceforth PWCRs). Owing to its widespread use outside of the criminal justice system, the oftenindefinite retention of such information can have long-term consequences for those who have them. This has attracted the attention of charities such as Unlock, and scholars such as those forming the Collateral Consequences of a Criminal Record Working Group1 . Notably, a significant amount of this research has focused on the experiences of prison leavers as they navigate desistance and re-integration. However, the vast majority of those living with a criminal record have not experienced incarceration, and have records relating to minor cautions or convictions having briefly interacted with the criminal justice system (CJS) in youth. This means a significant number of people living with criminal records are currently overlooked, and their experiences are not effectively captured in research. This is a considerable oversight because, as this report will demonstrate, many of these individuals face life-long stigma and discrimination despite the lesser nature of their historical offending. This report presents the key findings from doctoral research funded by Keele University. The purpose of this report is twofold. First, it seeks to illustrate the varied and often unpredictable ways criminal record disclosure can occur in both public and private life domains. Second, it will explore how PWCRs navigate such disclosures, acknowledging the highly subjective nature of criminal record experiences. In doing so, this report provides an evidence base for significantly reducing the use of criminal record information outside of the CJS, and illustrates why there is a need to develop communities of support for PWCRs. It calls for more empirical research with those living with criminal records to further understand the implications of early-life CJS interaction. Indeed, it is hoped that this report will encourage further research with those living in England and Wales with criminal records, adding to the growing evidence base for meaningful reform.
Keele, UK: Keele University, 2024. 36p.
