1

Former bank robber Bobby Cummines meets the Queen

ERICA CROMPTON

On June 1st 2011 Bobby Cummines received an OBe for services to reformed offenders from Her Majesty the Queen. Here he recalls that special time:-

‘It was a truly brilliant day. You know, when I was kid my dad took me to see the changing of the guards at Buckingham Palace. It was all top hat and tail coats. Dad being a mad old Irish man said: “Look! There are the Toffs! When you get there that’s when you know you’ve made it.”

‘Arriving at the palace I remembered his lively words. My flash back was really powerful and also very emotional. It was like being in front of my Mum and not knowing what to say. A thought flashed through my mind - the Queen puts the ‘great’ into Great Britain. Here I was, a former bank robber. Back in the day I got a buzz from bank robbing, but meet-ing the Queen for an OBe was a much

better buzz! And there were so many other amazing people there needing to be honoured, I felt humbled in their pres-ence. That day, I received recognition for leaving a life of crime behind and focus-ing on reform. This leads me to think I want to do more.

‘Finally I met the Queen and she says to me: “You’ve had an incredible journey and a colourful past”. She’s so warm and lovely. I might lose faith with politicians from time to time but I’ll never lose faith in the monarchy. So I stood proud and thought about all those people in jail. If I can do it, you can too.’

InDex

The Record The free newsletter for law-abiding people facing discrimination and inequality as a result of a criminal record

Issue 2

www.unlock.org.uk July 2011 forum.unlock.org.uk

WELCOME Letter from the Editor

ERICA CROMPTON

THe ReCORD is a free monthly news-letter produced for reformed offend ers.

This month, unLOCK Chief execu-tive and former prisoner Bobby Cum-mines talks to us about a very special and inspiring visit to Buckingham Palace to collect his OBe. Later in the issue he also takes a look at prisoner voting.

In other news, we have a special on plans to reform the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974, following a disap-pointing consultation response.

We’ve been lucky to have worked with some amazing members this month. James recounts his encounter with the justice system and IanC has written a bril-liant autobiographical piece that doubles as a modern day fable for us all.

As you’ll see The Record isn’t just about unLOCK. The organi sation is only as strong as its members. It stands as a record of your achievements (and chal-lenges). It’s a newsletter about reformed offenders, for reformed offenders and is defined by your contributions.

We hope you’re all as inspired as we are by this month’s stories from members. If you are, please consider putting pen to paper or offering to be interviewed. next month’s issue depends on you and the community wants to hear your story!

Whether or not you are a reformed offender, if you are an employer with a vacancy and are proud not to discriminate, why not place an advert in The Record and reach your audience directly?

unLOCk CEO aWardEd ObE

P1 Welcome, CEO awarded OBEP2 Reform of the ROAP3 Prisoner Voting, Public ConsultationsP4 S.O.R. Changes, AppealsP5 Second Chance, UNLOCK VocalP6 Prisons & Playstations, Con-tributeP7 A Life Less OrdinaryP8 Press & Media

JOIn uS to receive your copy directly at the end of the month, sign up as an unLOCK Member for free.

Click here.

Issue 2

2

Official Statement MINISTRy OF jUSTICE

COnSuLTATIOn On the Green Paper, ‘Breaking the Cycle: effective pun-ishment, rehabilitation and sentencing of offenders’ concluded on 4 March and a Government response was published on 21 June. This response outlined the content of the Legal Aid, Sentenc-ing and Punishment of Offenders Bill, which does not include reform of the ROA. However, responses on reform to the ROA were broadly supportive and the Government is still committed to introducing reform to the ROA, along the lines outlined in the Green Paper. We are still considering what the content of that reform should be and what might be the most appropriate legislative vehicle for taking this forward. There are as yet no timescales for this but we will be con-tacting stakeholders and interested parties detailing next steps in due course.

Is ROA reform still coming?jULIE hARMSWORTh

WHen THe Ministry of Justice pub-lished Breaking the Cycle, the Govern-ment’s Green Paper Consultation, we welcomed many of the proposals made in the ninety-two page tome. Govern-ment consultation events had been held nationwide. The paper was a breath of fresh air recognising as it did the impor-tance of rehabilitation – not just pun-ishment. At last, a Government whose policy was going to be evidence based and forward thinking, representing, as Justice Secretary Ken Clarke told us, a real “rehabilitation revolution”.

This was our opportunity to press once again for a long overdue and major reform of the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act and disclosure of criminal convictions, which had been successfully sidelined by the previous government since the 2002 Breaking the Circle report.

How disappointing then to see a paltry thirteen page response which had been cut to within an inch of its life from what, we were assured would address many of our recommendations. It would seem that Ken Clarke’s vision for the revolu-tion is not shared by certain colleagues, and the red-tops continue to dictate policy to number 10. Challenged on its content, the Ministry’s response was brief (see right).

Members will know that we have been working behind the scenes to champion reform and we have been assured that this does remain firmly on the Government’s agenda within this Parliament.

ROA reform won’t go away; we will keep up the pressure and invite you to do the same via your own MP. Meanwhile Lord Dholakia’s Private Member’s Bill to reduce disclosure periods is still alive and, should the Government renege on its promise to incorporate it into reform very soon, will doubtless be kicking.

rEfOrM Of thE rEhabILItatIOn Of OffEndErs aCt

dO yOu LIvE In brIghtOn Or hOvE? Would you like to earn £25 for an hour of your time?

UNIVERSITy OF PORTSMOUTh

ReSeARCHeRS FROM the university of Portsmouth need reformed experienced house burglars for a pilot study to test out equipment for some new research. If you fit the bill and are free on July 27th please email claire.nee@port.ac.uk with ‘research’ in the title for more information.

nO MEntIOn In gOvErnMEnt grEEn PaPEr rEsPOnsE

rEfOrM stILL PLannEd

3

PubLIC COnsuLtatIOns

Prisoners to have their sayERICA CROMPTON

SuCCeSS HAS been secured after consistent pushing of the Government to consult with people in prison on issues that directly affect them. For example, in May 2009 unLOCK identified a lack of consultation with people in prison on changes to prison law funding. In July 2009, unLOCK secured an agreement from the Ministry of Justice (see here) to contact all prison governors to ensure that people in prison could response to the consultation on prisoner voting.

In response, nOMS have recently published a Prison Service Instruction on prisoner participation. An extract from the PSI states “from time to time, Government departments and agencies carry out public consultation exercises. Where a consultation takes place on mat-ters which have a specific impact on the rights, health and interests of prisoners, as distinct from the public as a whole, it is important prisoners are made aware and able to respond if they wish.”

This means that prisoners will be made aware of public consultations affecting them and are given the opportunity to respond. In future, prisons will be noti-fied by the Offender Safety, Rights and Responsibilities Group of any public consultation exercise in which prisoners need to be involved. This will give people in prison the opportunity to exercise their right to respond to government consulta-tions.

You can see the full document here and find out more about unLOCK’s work in this area here.

Vote against enfranchising prisoners proves it is needeed

BOBBy CUMMINES

SInCe THe last meeting of the Com-mittee of Ministers on 8 March, Jack Straw MP (a former Secretary of State for Justice) and David Davis MP secured a debate and free vote in the House of Commons to retain the blanket ban on prisoner voting. The vote was in favour of the ban, though only a minority of the House chose to attend and vote.

Following this debate, an appeal by the uK government was dismissed by the european Court of Human Rights, who gave the government 6 months to introduce the necessary legislative pro-posals and to enact it within a time frame decided by the Committee of Ministers.

The vote in Parliament is actually the perfect demonstration of why it is critical that the government is forced to comply with the Human Rights Convention. By using the ‘democratic’ process of a Par-liamentary debate featuring politicians in whom citizens in prison have had no hand in electing, they have highlighted the importance of giving prisoners the vote.

The uK agreed to abide by the Con-vention and enshrined it in its own law. The Court has made its decision and as a country we have been given six months to comply with that. As people who have been convicted by the State, once routes of appeal are exhausted, we are required to carry out the sentence we are given.

If the government does not act as it expects others to act, the uK will essen-tially become a criminal state. It will be seen as neglecters and non-respecters of human rights. This will knock us off the moral high ground, preventing us from condemning others for human rights abuses.

The case is closed. Individuals such as John Hirst and their legal teams have brought successful cases. Civic organisa-tions in the uK have made clear that the governments delay and dissembling are playing politics with human rights. The Court has ruled and has dismissed all appeals. The uK government must simply comply.

The above extract is taken from a letter sent to the Committee of Ministers on the 26th May. Click to view the letter in full or find out more about our work on prisoner voting.

dELay fOr PrIsOnEr vOtIng

4

home Office makes changes to notification requirements

ANdy h

THe HOMe OFFICe has recently made two announcements relating to the notification requirements for those with convictions for sexual offences.

The first relates to the right of individuals to appeal lifelong inclusion on the ‘reg-ister’ as determined by the uK Supreme Court and against which the Home Office appealed unsuccessfully.

Currently, individuals sentenced to more than 30 months for a relevant offence are required to register for life. The Govern-ment’s preferred option is to create a system whereby individuals can apply to police to be removed from the register after 15 years if they can provide evidence that they no longer pose a significant risk of harm to the public.

However, it is not proposed to include a right of appeal against unsuccessful applica-tions and the opportunity to reapply would not be allowed for a further 8 years. This effectively is the Government doing the

promised ‘minimum necessary’ to comply with the Court ruling.

The second announcement relates to a consultation on extending the notifica-tion requirements so that they include an obligation to provide details of when they are living with a child under the age of 18; of passport, bank account and credit card details; and details on all foreign travel (currently, notification only needs to be made up when the trip is more than three days). The proposed changes would also

require individuals with no fixed abode to notify the police on a weekly basis of their whereabouts. The consultation ends on 8th August 2011.

More details are available on this page on the Home Office website. Individuals can respond to the consultation in writing to ‘Sex offender management consultation, Home Office, 4th Floor Fry Building, 2 Marsham Street, London, SW1P 4DF’ or by email to SexOffenderManagement@homeoffice.gsi.gov.uk

s.O.r. ChangEs

aPPEaLIng PubLICatIOnUpdated guide on how to appeal from jUSTICE

ERICA CROMPTON

how to appeal - A guide to the criminal justice system has been updated, published and is available to download for free from the Justice website.

There’s also a hard copy priced at just £3 but available free to people in prison and their families on request by writing to JuSTICe, 59 Carter Lane, London, eC4V 5AQ.

Alternatively you can email admin@justice.org.uk or call 020 7329 5100.

5

Today I break barriers, not the law

jAMES

SWeeT SIxTeen? You must be joking. I broke the law and gained a criminal record. I didn’t realise at the time that I also gained a label for life. And consequently a lifetime dedicated to breaking down barriers for the benefit of others who find themselves in a similar boat.

That first conviction turned into sev-eral. The inside of a police station was familiar to me from a very early age, as it sadly was for my Mother, who would have to come and collect me. Luckily for me, when I decided that I was ready to turn the corner, people supported me. I recognised that my criminality needed sorting in rehab. And I never forgot this promise to myself.

I gained A-levels and a place at univer-sity, studying to become a Social Worker. I did voluntary work. The university were glad to have me, although the General Social Care Council begged to differ. They said they needed to consult with their ‘special panel’ to ascertain whether I was “fit” to become a Social Worker.

After 18 months study time I was allo-

cated my final practice placement. But it was suddenly withdrawn from me, by email, stating that I could never work for my local authority, as I was “too high risk”. Thankfully, the university backed me and ended up making special arrange-ments so that I could meet the GSCC standards for completion of the degree. I qualified with a distinction.

I mentored for SOVA and forged many positive relationships with young people in custody. But it wasn’t all plain sail-ing. One day I was presented with those familiar words, I’d rather have forgot-ten. “You’re too high risk”, the governor reckoned, and swiftly barred me from entering work and prison. That was the end of my contact.

These experiences are not rare. There are countless examples of ex-offenders who

have the rug pulled from under them, all because we live in a risk averse society. It’s blame culture gone barmy, with very real consequences for those middle managers with whom ‘the buck stops’.

Of course, determination and perse-verance are keys to success and I didn’t let that man and his buck stop me from achieving. I’ve been presented with fan-tastic opportunities in the voluntary sector where I work out of passion.

I know the effects long-term discrimi-nation has had on me. But I am aware that social climates and policies changes sometimes happen for the better. We’re in the same boat and working together to change things. I hope that with enough passion and hard graft, others may not face the same barriers as I did in the future.

sECOnd ChanCE

unLOCk vOCaLyou have your say in the Members’ Forum

UNLOCK MEMBERS

1) Reforms to the CRB jones_M_264 kicks off discussion about future changes to CRB checks Click here

2) Car insurance, good news Mjd imparts good news about his Admiral car insurance. Click here

3) Sentence reduction of 50% reduction for a guilty plea Members discuss the latest news on the CjS. Click here

4) Sex offenders will be able to challenge inclusion on register for life Andyh on challenging the Sex Offenders Register. Click here

5) Bobby Cummines awarded OBe Updates on Bobby’s fantastic news and lifetime achievement this month Click here

6) ROA update - is there hope? dee keeps the faith after disappointing Green Paper response. Click here

6

do games consoles mean prison is a holiday camp?

ANdy h

THeRe SeeMS to be a predominant attitude that imprisonment in the uK represents some kind of holiday camp full of PlayStations, flat-screen TVs and à la carte menus all funded by the taxpayer. The typical tabloid construction of pris-ons seems designed specifically to create outrage in ‘right-thinking people’ about the cushy life that ‘lags’ enjoy at their expense. To be honest, if I’d never expe-rienced imprisonment, and believed what I read in the newspapers, I’d be pretty annoyed about it too.

The reality though is somewhat differ-ent as many unLOCK members will know. Clearly things have improved dramatically in prisons in the last 50 years, but the more recent problem of overcrowding has made them less effec-tive and re-offending rates have increased. Can you get PlayStations? Yes, if you’re prepared to save up and pay for them yourself. But this is rather a side issue compared to the chronically high levels of mental illness and self-harm amongst not just those in custody, but those recently released. A 2006 paper in The Lancet revealed rates of suicide in men recently released from prison are 8 times greater than in the general population. For women, the rate was 36 times greater.

The recent spate of documentaries on prison life such as Strangeways, Holloway and Girls Behind Bars might have actu-ally contributed to wider public aware-ness of what life inside is like. But it is perhaps a sad indictment of modern society that most of the debate about these programmes focussed on a troubled mono-syllabic prisoner who engages in dirty protests.

Within days of the Strangeways docu-mentary being shown on ITV1, thousands of people had joined Facebook groups dedicated to the man in question. At around the same time the Prison Reform Trust launched a Facebook page…31 people have joined so far.

PrIsOns & PLaystatIOns

COn-trIbutEThe Record needs you!

ERICA CROMPTON

THe ReCORD is always looking for contributions from members and reformed offenders. We’d love to hear your ideas for contributions – all is wel-come, from photographs to fiction, hard news to encouraging stories.

Send a brief outline of your idea to newsletter@unlock.org.uk and we will be in touch with you as soon as possible to discuss your idea further.

7

a LIfE LEss OrdInaryA modern day fable

IAN C

OnCe uPOn A TIMe there was a little boy who wanted nothing more out of life than to be a fireman, a train driver, or at a pinch, a cowboy. By the age of five not only was life idyllic, but he had already picked out a career for himself and one that he and his parents were very proud of.

The young boy entered his teens and school work took over as a priority. Wasn’t everyone telling him that you had to learn to get what you wanted in life? He wasn’t particularly interested - how many GCSes did you need to become a cowboy?

The years flew by and before he knew it the young man was a factory worker. He’d already worked out that money bought privileges and so began a career in crime.

The plastic gun became a real one, stolen cars replaced an imagined horse and there were many red Indians out there to do battle with.

now a middle aged man, one day it came to a sudden end. Captured, they took away his gun and the game was over. During the long years ahead, he studied during the day and gained knowledge. During the nights the memories would return and tears form at the loss of his dreams. now long dead, from far away and across the years his parents still called out to him with encouragement, but now their voices echoed disapprovingly and with sadness.

The middle aged/elderly man with greying hair now stands in front of a class of students. “What do you want to be?” he asks, as they play with their iPhones and tap away on their electronic calcula-tors. “A CeO” says one, “a Doctor” says another. He looks at their young and eager faces – “Go for it...’ he replies with a smile and the little boy quietly whispers, “...It’s better than being a cowboy!”

Equality for reformed offenders

8

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PrEss & MEdIaRelevant news this month

***

• Telegraph - Quarter of population will be on new police database – click here

• Metro - One in four Britons on police database - click here

• Guardian - Sex offenders will be able to challenge inclusion on register for life– click here

• Daily Mail - You’re hired: Convicted bank robber becomes first prisoner with paid apprenticeship – click here

• Haringey.gov.uk- New programme to combat re-offending – click here

• Number10.gov.uk - New Civil Service organisation charts released – click here

• BBC Radio 5 Live - MoJ Sentencing Proposals – click here

• BBC Radio Wales - MoJ Sentencing Proposals – click here

• BBC.co.uk - Offender photos ‘to be added to crime maps – click here

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