I am an ex prisoner. I was not a sex offender but as Shakespear pointed out, a crime is a crime is a crime. And I was guilty. I did something stupid and paid the price but while in prison I decided to learn a trade to help give me a better chance of a normal life on the outside. I left prison as a qualified plumber. But now I find that plumbers need a CRB check because we go into peoples houses. This has basically disqualified me from the job I'm good at. In fact it's been made difficult for any ex prisoner to find work because more employers are demanding a CRB check simply because they can rather than because it's necessary. Rehabilitation is a thing of the past. Every prison sentence is now effectively a life sentence with no encouragement for ex cons to go straight. The carrot has been removed and replaced by yet another stick. I think this country is creating it's own monster.

If firms insist on CRB checks just because their employees 'go into people's houses' then they're abusing the system anyway, aren't they? Isn't the check only intended for those proposing to work directly with children or 'vulnerable' adults? As you say, the whole thing seems incoherent and counter-productive.

I sympathize, Roy H

Why not become a politician?
Being a crook seems no bar at all in that profession !

It did not occur to me to ask my plumber or electrician for their CRB certificates.

How did we survive from day to day before this government imposed all these "security" measures upon us?

Thanks Roy,

This is sad, very sad and would be shocking if it were not part of an emerging trend. I am shocked it's gone this far though.

What proportion of plumbing firms are requiring CRBs of their staff?

Do you have any links which support the claim that they are actually doing this?

What reason are they giving for doing this? As already mentioned, only children and vulnerable adults are intended to be protected by the CRB system.

Finally, when the CRB check comes back, no matter what they may show, discretion to hire or not always remains with the employer. Are employers refusing to hire in every case where the check shows a previous conviction? Is it perhaps just in cases of a sex-related offence, or do they refuse in other cases of prior conviction?

Best Wishes,
Jim

I thought I had heard something on TV about plumbers, etc. who go into people's houses requiring CRB checks, so I just googled and found one example. Sounds like the sort of thing I heard.

"Whilst at work, our engineers often come into contact with children and vulnerable adults and we feel it is responsible to do everything we can to make sure our staff are of the utmost trustworthiness.”

www.personneltoday.com/articles/2009/01/...imlico-plumbers.html

I'm sure the checks are officially about sex offences but I can well believe that some employers will deny jobs to anyone who has been "inside", especially as there are currently more job seekers to choose from.