Wikipedia:Reference desk/Archives/Humanities/2019 December 9

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December 9

Criminal Record Check UK

How would one go about checking if someone has a Criminal Record in the UK? This would be needed for a job application and such like and should be in the public domain, yet I seem unable to find any such source. It would be helpful if this was free too, which I would expect it would be or should be. Our article (linked) indicates that this can only be searched with the person's consent. So what's the point of a criminal record at all? I suspect the article is wrong as I am aware of a person having a Criminal Record following financial mediation, yet this person did not give consent to the other side to disclose this information. How did they find out? (rhetorical) Also, is there a sexual offenders register that one can review, particularly relating to a post code (zip code for the US) search. Thanks. Anton 81.131.40.58 (talk) 10:36, 9 December 2019 (UTC)

It is known as a DBS check, and information on getting it is on the government site. -- Q Chris (talk) 10:45, 9 December 2019 (UTC)

Does the UK have Right to be forgotten? ←Baseball Bugs ^{What's up, Doc?} carrots→ 12:14, 9 December 2019 (UTC)

Not specifically, but there are laws, such as the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974, which allows for criminal records to be expunged in certain cases. --Jayron32 12:58, 9 December 2019 (UTC)

"Certain types of employment, for example, working with children or vulnerable adults, certain professions such as law, health care, and pharmacy, senior management posts within certain sectors and employment where matters of national security are involved, the application form will state that it is exempt from the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974. In these situation, you may need to disclose your cautions and convictions, and they may be disclosed on your DBS criminal records check". [1] Alansplodge (talk) 17:37, 9 December 2019 (UTC)

By the way, DBS stands for Disclosure and Barring Service, and the article the OP tried to link to above is Violent and Sex Offender Register (but this register is not accessible to the public). Alansplodge (talk) 20:49, 9 December 2019 (UTC)

To clarify, a person's criminal record is not public domain - it's considered private information. A person can apply for a copy of their own record (upon filling out a form and paying a fee), or authorize (in writing) a potential employer to receive a copy. But in many jurisdictions, you can't just obtain a copy of someone's criminal record without their consent.

The sex offenders' register may be a different story, depending on the jurisdiction; In some jurisdictions (all of USA, and England, I believe?), it is publicly searchable. In others, it's private, and you need the person's consent in order to know if they're on the record. 59.100.193.10 (talk) 09:21, 10 December 2019 (UTC)

The article Sex offender registry suggests the US is the only place with a publicly accessible registry. While it's unsourced, the article linked by Alansplodge above suggests England is not a jurisdiction where it is publicly searchable. While the Criminal records in the United States are different, I believe they are often available to the public, and our article also suggests so. (I believe one big difference between such a registry and a criminal record is that a registry often has up to date information on precisely who the person is and where they live so they can easily be identified. By comparison, you may require more effort to work out whether person A convicted for jaywalking is the person in your office.) In terms of criminal records, I believe there can be big difference in how easy they are to access (e.g. can you just find it on the web), what can be expunged, whether private companies can easily get bulk data to maintain their own lists etc between jurisdictions in the US. See e.g. [2] Nil Einne (talk) 11:31, 10 December 2019 (UTC)

If I were a Brit, I would look forward to having burglars move next door to me. ←Baseball Bugs ^{What's up, Doc?} carrots→ 12:41, 10 December 2019 (UTC)

British burglars are generally too bright to do their burgling next door. 197.201.4.179 (talk) 13:54, 10 December 2019 (UTC)

But not bright enough to avoid prison time. ←Baseball Bugs ^{What's up, Doc?} carrots→ 15:02, 10 December 2019 (UTC)

Suffolk may have exceptions, it seems. Martinevans123 (talk) 14:10, 10 December 2019 (UTC)

I worked with a lady who was burgled, and assaulted by her next door neighbour, repeatedly, eventually she had to move, no charges were brought through lack of evidence. The house was then stripped of all appliances, copper wiring, radiators, bath, light bulbs...everything. We all knew it was the neighbour but had no evidence, just her word against his. UK law, Milton Keynes mentality. Anton 81.131.40.58 (talk) 15:26, 10 December 2019 (UTC)

And if the neighbor had been a convicted felon, there was no way for the public to know it? Did the house get a new owner, or did it have to be demolished? ←Baseball Bugs ^{What's up, Doc?} carrots→ 15:47, 10 December 2019 (UTC)

I allowed her to Voluntarily Surrender the property and I auctioned it, as is. The shortfall was covered by a government scheme being offered at the time. BTW, I don't expect anyone to believe this but he came in the night down her chimney. Anton 81.131.40.58 (talk) 15:58, 10 December 2019 (UTC)

No-one would believe that. Martinevans123 (talk) 16:31, 10 December 2019 (UTC)

Reminds me of a line from a Weird Al Yankovic song: "You might hear some reindeer on your rooftop / Or Jack Frost on your windowsill / But if someone's climbing down your chimney / You'd better load your gun and shoot to kill!" ←Baseball Bugs ^{What's up, Doc?} carrots→ 16:33, 10 December 2019 (UTC)

That would be from "Christmas at Ground Zero". --47.146.63.87 (talk) 06:59, 11 December 2019 (UTC)