Almost three-quarters of national companies continue to ask about criminal records at job application stage, new research shows

Unlock has today published new research that shows the vast majority of national companies continuing to have criminal record declarations as a core part of their initial job application forms. Marking the 5-year anniversary of the Ban the Box campaign, the findings reveal the extent to which national employers have failed to recognise the negative
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Civil service to “ban the box” to help rehabilitate people with convictions

This week David Cameron unveiled a raft of prison reform measures.  One of these will be  to scrap the declaration of criminal convictions in the initial application stage for civil service jobs. Responding to this announcement, Unlock’s  Christopher Stacey said: “We welcome David Camerons’ commitment to the Ban the Box campaign and in changing the recruitment practice
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New project – Fair Access to Employment

We are delighted to report that Unlock has been awarded a three-year grant from the Esmée Fairbairn Foundation that will enable us to deliver a programme of work that will challenge the discrimination faced by people with convictions in getting employment. This marks the beginning of a significant area of work for Unlock, enabling us
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One year into the Ban the Box campaign; pioneering employers change their practice, but more must follow their lead

Business in the Community’s Ban the Box campaign, which Unlock actively supports, has reached its one year anniversary. It was launched in October 2013 in response to widespread and costly discrimination against people with convictions who are seeking work. So far 24 employers, with a combined UK workforce of over 200,000, have committed to support
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Dealing with criminal convictions – embedding a positive process of disclosure

Christopher Stacey, Co-Director, Unlock comments on the issues discussed in a recent Ban the Box webinar. Quite rightly, the Ban the Box campaign is focused on a specific issue, that being the tick-box that appears on many job application forms,  frightening the life out of somebody who has a criminal record. Many people with convictions see
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Second chances and ‘invisible punishment’

We’re featured in an article that has been published on thejusticegap.com website on second chances and ‘invisible punishment’.
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Support for the Ban the Box campaign

As part of our support for Ban the Box, we spoke on Radio 5 Live about the campaign. You can listen to the interview below.
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Unlock endorses ‘Ban the box’

Unlock has today lent its support and endorsement to the ‘ban the box’ campaign, which is being led by Business in the Community. The aim of the campaign is to increase the opportunity for people with convictions to compete for jobs. Christopher Stacey, Co-Director at Unlock, said “We believe that that, by banning the box,
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