Employment Screening and Non-Conviction Information

1. Front Matter

   Pages i-xiv

   PDF

2. The Disclosure of Criminal Records to Employers

   • Terry Thomas, Kevin Bennett

   Pages 1-27

3. The Nature of ‘Non-conviction Information’

   • Terry Thomas, Kevin Bennett

   Pages 29-50

4. The Police Disclosure of Non-conviction Information to Employers (1986–2010)

   • Terry Thomas, Kevin Bennett

   Pages 51-69

5. The Police Disclosure of Non-conviction Information to Employers (2010–to the Present Day)

   • Terry Thomas, Kevin Bennett

   Pages 71-91

6. Making the Decision to Disclose ‘Non-conviction Information’

   • Terry Thomas, Kevin Bennett

   Pages 93-116

7. Human Rights

   • Terry Thomas, Kevin Bennett

   Pages 117-134

8. Conclusions

   • Terry Thomas, Kevin Bennett

   Pages 135-152

9. Back Matter

   Pages 153-169

   PDF

This book provides a critical overview of the policy frameworks underpinning the contemporary practices of non-conviction information disclosure during pre-employment ‘screening’. It questions how a man can walk free from a criminal court as an innocent person only to have all the court details of his acquittal passed to any potential employer.Despite several million ‘enhanced’ criminal background checks being performed each year, there has been little discussion of these issues within academic literature. Non-conviction information, also known as 'police intelligence', is a less well-known check provided alongside the criminal record check. This book seeks to define what is meant by non-conviction information and to provide a clear and simple explanation of how this decision making process of police disclosure to employers is made. It also considers the extent to which these practices have been subjected to legal challenges within the UK and explores how public protection is balancedagainst individual rights. 

• criminal record
• safeguarding children
• the Department of Work and Pensions
• privacy studies
• policing
• social work
• ethics and justice
• safeguarding adults
• human resources
• police intelligence
• child protection
• employment rights
• criminal justice

“The authors throw a useful light on this low-visibility activity by the police and the Disclosure and Barring Service; an activity that adversely affects hundreds of people every year” (Dr Sarah Kingston, Senior Lecturer in Criminology, School of Law, Lancaster University, UK)

• Leeds Beckett University, Leeds, UK

  Terry Thomas

• University of Sunderland, Sunderland, UK

  Kevin Bennett

Terry Thomas was awarded the title of Emeritus Professor at Leeds Beckett University, UK. He was formerly employed as a senior medical social worker at Leeds General Infirmary and senior social worker in a local authority social services department area office. His publications have focused on questions relating to personal information databases and the criminal justice system i.e. criminal records, DNA and fingerprints.

Kevin Bennett is a postgraduate student at the University of Sunderland, UK.

Policies and ethics