Unlock Annual Report 2019-20

We are delighted to publish the Unlock Annual Report 2019-20. Compiling our report this year was quite a task as we had so much to say about our work and achievements – from developing our trustee board to supporting volunteers, and from providing direct support to individuals to fighting for system change and a society

The Law Society Gazette – White paper promises ‘smarter’ sentencing to cut crime

In this article regarding  the Government’s newly announced sentencing white paper, Christopher Stacey welcomed the proposals to reduce disclosure periods but highlighted the fact that  around two-thirds of the 8,000 people every year who receive sentences of over four years would be excluded from the proposals. Christopher said: ‘The risk of reoffending is consistently lower

Prison philanthropist Edwina Grosvenor talks to Christopher Stacey

Prison philanthropist and prison reformer Edwina Grosvenor talks to Christopher Stacey as part of  her Justice podcast series. They discuss how people often face stigma and obstacles because of their criminal record – long after they have served their sentence. Chris explains that in the UK, I in 6 people have criminal records and how

New trustees appointed to Unlock

We’re pleased to announce the appointment of four new trustees who join our board this month:  Steve Lorber is solicitor specialising in employment law and workplace data privacy together with advice on charity law and governance; Emma Wilson is a qualified solicitor, currently working as a consultant. She is a volunteer for the charity StoryBook

Unlock raises concerns as Charity Commission grants just six criminal conviction waivers

The Charity Commission has refused more than half of the applications it has received from people with criminal convictions who wish to serve as trustees or senior managers, prompting Unlock to call for a review. In an article published on the Civil Society website, Christopher Stacey, co-director of Unlock, said he was concerned about the

Unlock speaks to Radio 4’s Woman’s Hour about the launch of it’s #Fairchecks campaign

Together with the charity Transform Justice, Unlock has launched the #FairChecks movement to help push for a fresh start for the criminal records system. In this programme, Woman’s Hour’s Jenni Murray, talks to two women who have experienced problems with having to disclose their criminal records and to Unlock’s Policy & Practice Lead, Rachel Tynan.

Request for participants (now closed) – Understanding the influence of an early life criminal record on adult life courses

Update – The request for participants is now closed. See the message below from Nicola, the researcher: “Thank you to everyone who has been in contact with me with their generous offer to take part in my PhD research. I have been overwhelmed with responses and now have enough participants that fit the criteria, so
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Press and media coverage of the Supreme Court judgment

  There has been a significant amount of press and media attention on the judgment of the Supreme Court which ruled that the criminal records disclosure scheme as it applies to multiple convictions and childhood warnings/reprimands was found to be disproportionate. Our co-director, Christopher Stacey, gave interviews on the day of the judgment which were featured

Unlock speaks to Radio 4’s Law in Action – Should having a past block a child’s future?

Unlock talks to Joshua Rozenberg about the issues affecting those who receive criminal convictions in childhood. They also discuss the impending result of the Government’s appeal to the Supreme Court against a Court of Appeal decision which ruled that the current system of people having to declare old and minor records is unnecessary, disproportionate and

Unlock Annual Report 2017/2018

              We are delighted to publish the Unlock Annual Report 2017/2018. We have achieved outstanding success at both service delivery and policy levels, reflecting the hard work and dedication of the Unlock team. The report reflects how we have helped people with convictions by: Providing direct support to individuals

Almost three-quarters of applications for waivers from charity trustees or senior managers who face possible disqualification, have not yet been dealt with by the Charity Commission

New rules that disqualify people from being senior managers or trustees of charities if they have committed certain offences, will come into force on 1 August. In an article published in Third Sector, Christopher Stacey comments on how Unlock, along with the criminal justice charities Clinks and the Prison Reform Trust, wrote to the Charity Commission in May
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Media coverage of the Supreme Court hearing

  As a result of Unlock’s intervention at the Supreme Court in a landmark legal case on the criminal record disclosure regime, we  have featured in the following media: BBC Newsnight ‘Fighting to change my criminal record’     The CIPD news site People Management ‘Criminal record checks could infringe human rights, Supreme Court hears’   The