Topic briefing

People with criminal convictions

Published 27 July 2020

Resources

UCAS: Supporting professionalism in admissions (available to higher education providers only)
Several good practice documents available to support the recruitment and selection of students.
Unlock: University admissions and criminal records: lessons learned and next steps (2018)
A paper from the charity Unlock presenting three short essays looking at the lessons that can be learned from the United States, and what is next for university admissions and criminal records in the UK.
Unlock: Understanding applicants with criminal records (2018)
This briefing is to provide information and guidance to universities and colleges considering whether and/or how to ask applicants about their criminal record.
Unlock: Fair study toolkit (2024)
A digital toolkit which offers guidance for higher education providers who want to develop fair approaches for applicants and students with criminal records.
The Lammy review: Final report (2017)
An independent review into the treatment of, and outcomes for black, Asian and minority ethnic individuals in the criminal justice system.
Ministry of Justice: Unlocking potential: A review of education in prison (2016)
Dame Sally Coates’ report and recommendations following her review of education in prison.
House of Commons, Education Committee: Not just another brick in the wall: why prisoners need an education to climb the ladder of opportunity (2022)
A House of Commons Committee review of education in prisons.

Association of Heads of University Administration: Disclosing criminal convictions
Blog post discussing the difference GDPR will make to the disclosure of criminal convictions by applicants and students.

Prisoner's Education Trust: Prison-university partnerships: a toolkit
This toolkit is designed to support educators and prison staff in setting up and delivering a prison-university partnership.
UCAS: Criminal convictions good practice for higher education providers
Information and resources to support providers with changes to the criminal convictions question in UCAS applications.
UCAS: Criminal convictions: What you need to know
Guidance for applicants with criminal convictions.
Prisoner's Education Trust: Directory of prison-university partnerships
A webpage showing where prison-university partnerships are happening in the UK.
GOV.UK: Education in prison guidance
A summary of evidence relating to prison education programmes and whether they improve outcomes for prisoners.
Unlock: Changing the system: University and college admissions
Information on their fair admissions toolkit and fair chance pledge.
The Rand Corporation
Website presenting a range of research and resources on prison-based education.
The Inside-Out Prison Exchange Program
Website presenting a range of information and resources relating to this programme, developed in the United States, which brings traditional college students and incarcerated students together.
Recruit
A website for employers from the charity Unlock, to support the fair treatment of people with criminal records.

Unlock
An independent national charity that provides a voice and support for people with convictions, including in relation to higher education.
Prisoner’s Education Trust (PET)
A prison education charity that supports distance learning courses and provides materials to support prisoner learning. PET was founded in HMP Wandsworth in 1989 and has since expanded to cover every prison in England and Wales. The Trust also manages the Prison-University Partnerships in Learning (PUPiL) network.
Business in the Community
A business-led membership organisation leading on the UK ‘Ban the Box’ initiative, calling on UK employers to give ex-offenders a fair chance to compete for jobs by removing the tick box from application forms and asking about criminal convictions later in the recruitment process.
UPP Foundation
The UPP Foundation launched a pilot project in 2018 with Unlock that will work with three universities to support them with implementing procedures that enable people with convictions to access and benefit from university education.
The Longford Trust
A charity that provides a scholarship programme aimed at supporting people to rebuild their lives after serving a prison sentence.
Doing What Really Matters (DWRM)
A social enterprise, grounded in lived experience, supporting people in prison to access further and higher education and empowering people to contribute to research and policy reform.

Published 27 July 2020

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