Hi

This reminds me of when I was on licence and I asked my Probation Officer "What do you think the psychologists and mental health experts of that time will think of the treatment methods undertaken by today's experts?"

His reaction was one of asking "why was I in denial of my offence and I should consider my behavior".




Learn from yesterday, live for today, hope is for tomorrow else what is left if you remove a mans hope.

Spot on 

Yeah, society is the big issue in how things are perceived. The vast majority don't care about facts in a case, just the overall outcome.

I find it quite interesting and amazing how certain crimes are treated.

For example. It isn't out of the realms of possibility that you could see on the news or some other TV program an ex-drug dealer who spent 10yrs in prison is now out of prison, reformed and actively going around drug rehab facilities to help those vulnerable people. They'd likely get a round of applause.

Now imagine the response for an ex-sex offender who was caught 10 years ago for downloading indecent images going round schools telling the dangers of child predators and how to keep themselves safe?

In fairness that's probably why they don't state anything. It opens them up to criticism from groups on both sides of the argument, no company is going to say "we'll employ offenders of A, B and C but not , x, y and z." because why actively discriminate when you can discreetly discriminate without any comeback? And as well as having to have reasons as to why A, B and C are "okay" and others "aren't" when they could choose to discreetly discriminate against all law breakers.

This is all treating the symptom not the cause.

The cause is the labels attached with different crimes to the point that it's almost accepted to discriminate against those with certain offences. The labels must stop. A similar point to what JASB makes. Unfortunately, society at the moment is obsessed with labels, especially with binary choices - this or that - Leave/Remain, Red team/Blue Team, Pro-pineapple on pizza/against pineapply on pizza - these things do not matter in the grand scheme of life... but in society they do. To the point where people have become so angry that the opposing side cannot possibly be correct in any possible way ever... EVER! 
So take a more simplistic conversation (especially in the mind of an employer... who are human beings too) - law abiders/law breakers - you're one or the other. So in a world of "the other side can't possibly be right EVER", and, for example, if there's no trust in rehabilitation... how can you begin to create any kind of trust with those who have chosen to break the law when you ONLY hear about (unless you properly look for it) those breaking the law always being "bad"... and, to bring it full circle, especially build any trust whatsoever with those who have offences which have that label I refuse to use.

Bottom line is we have to do our best in a very difficult situation and also know that you have the full support of everyone here to be successful.

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Fighting or Accepting - its difficult to know which is right and when.

Totally agree, all companies should provide a link on there recruitment pages about there companies recruitment policy 

What's annoying is that these companies are not always open about their hiring policies. You have to go through the whole application process first, even disclosing at interview and being told by the interviewer, that your conviction is no problem for them, only to be told a week later; "sorry, but my HR dept says no SO allowed". If they were obvioius about it from the start, by putting a big notice on their website, saying "No Irish, no blacks, no sex offenders", for example, then it might kick off a public debate about the hidden discrimination.

Gentleman,
We all demonstrate in our writings the way "politics" are employed by the Government, media, employers and society in general when we read and comment on these matters.
I like you, always seem surprised at the categorization; or is it castration, of us in varying degrees depending on the popularity of the category of offence.

We just have to look at which films, TV shows, to see which are the most popular. So very often the lead character is someone involved in a murder or drugs and is seen as the hero.

When you listen to the radio, say radio 5 or News, channel 4, you see their sympathy measured by what the offence category of an individual being interviewed as an "expert" is when discussing criminal matters? I have never seen on TV or heard the words of EX SO!

You will see the reporter using such understanding and gentle language in their questions, even though; using the example of a drug dealer; there is a high percentage of probability that they manipulated, groomed and targeted young children etc to aid them sell their medicine of destruction and death. Yet there is no "register" and constant "regressive" interview techniques used for them!

There is much more I could write on this matter, and how personal gain allows individuals to preach the morals when it it to their advantage, but ignore them when it is to their advantage! That is for another day.

Learn from yesterday, live for today, hope is for tomorrow else what is left if you remove a mans hope.

I can't go into specific details but I am aware of employees having convictions for murder and (large scale) armed robbery that do currently work for Timpsons in England. So, in all honesty, I do have to give them some credit. I don't know all the ins and outs but those keen to work for them with any (perhaps, many rather than any?) offences while on ROTL helps their case, I think. 

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Fighting or Accepting - its difficult to know which is right and when.

You hit the nail on the head there, one day I hope some one looks in to the money that changed hands when they agreed to put there training academy’s in HMP estates, some one got a back hander, and Timpson’s I guess got the lions share