A dumb question around CRB/DBS and Spent Convictions

**Lance** · 15 November 2018, 10:27

pay the £25 for your own DBS check then you can see what they can see.

To be honest I'd just 'fess up, but with DBS you can apply directly to see it.

**northernladuk** · 15 November 2018, 10:30

Originally posted by vwdan View Post

(Yes, I was a naughty boy and got myself a criminal conviction many years ago)

Got some security vetting to do - very exciting!

It's got a long questionnaire (two actually) about previous convictions and such and kindly makes very clear that I don't need to disclose spent convictions which mine is. But, it also includes a CRB check which is of course going to promptly reveal it.

I'm not particularly worried about the conviction itself as it's not a dishonesty offence and hasn't caused me any grief even working with kids. It just feels a bit weird saying "No, I've never..." knowing that they're going to get a contradictory document.

Do I just have to have faith that they, what, ignore that bit of the DBS? Or do I ignore the spent/unspent bit and just fill them in so everything matches. Just curious really, I suppose

There is your problem there. 'Never' is not true but it's not what they are aksing. 'I do not have any current convictions' (or whatever the phrase is) is completely factually accurate and in keeping with the guidance of how to fill the document out.

I'm sure, bearing in mind this is their job, they can differentiate between a spend and non spent conviction on your CRB and tie it up with the other document.

Bit of a non question this surely?

**vwdan** · 15 November 2018, 10:31

Originally posted by Lance View Post

pay the £25 for your own DBS check then you can see what they can see.

To be honest I'd just 'fess up, but with DBS you can apply directly to see it.

I've got old ones with it on, so pretty confident it'll be there unless they do that super basic one I think

**vwdan** · 15 November 2018, 10:33

Originally posted by northernladuk View Post

There is your problem there. 'Never' is not true but it's not what they are aksing. 'I do not have any current convictions' (or whatever the phrase is) is completely factually accurate and in keeping with the guidance of how to fill the document out.

That's pretty much my interpretation. I'm probably just overthinking the wording - as it does literally say "Have you ever been convicted....blah blah", but as I don't have to disclose spent convictions the answer is no.

I'm sure, bearing in mind this is their job, they can differentiate between a spend and non spent conviction on your CRB and tie it up with the other document.

I dunno, they could be contractors.

Bit of a non question this surely?

Of course it is, but I'm bored

**northernladuk** · 15 November 2018, 10:50

Originally posted by vwdan View Post

Of course it is, but I'm bored

Fair dinkum.

**washed up contractor** · 15 November 2018, 12:12

Originally posted by vwdan View Post

(Yes, I was a naughty boy and got myself a criminal conviction many years ago)

Got some security vetting to do - very exciting!

It's got a long questionnaire (two actually) about previous convictions and such and kindly makes very clear that I don't need to disclose spent convictions which mine is. But, it also includes a CRB check which is of course going to promptly reveal it.

I'm not particularly worried about the conviction itself as it's not a dishonesty offence and hasn't caused me any grief even working with kids. It just feels a bit weird saying "No, I've never..." knowing that they're going to get a contradictory document.

Do I just have to have faith that they, what, ignore that bit of the DBS? Or do I ignore the spent/unspent bit and just fill them in so everything matches. Just curious really, I suppose

Rather than get a £25 basic DBS check, pay the extra and get the enhanced version.

The general advice is disclose it, even if spent and no longer needing to disclose, rather than say nothing.

**fiisch** · 15 November 2018, 13:30

If it's spent, it's spent.

Under the Rehabilitation Act, any conviction outside of the disclosure period that is considered spent need not be disclosed.

It's a poorly worded question, but your answer, technically, should be no.

(I used to enforce insurance policy voids etc., so once upon a time had to be quite intimate with the act. My wife also has a silly "battery" conviction when she was 16 - I say silly, as she's about 7st, and the battery conviction was for pushing a strapping 6ft 5" neighbour who was fighting with her brother at the time over a long-running neighbourly dispute.... Anyway, I digress - she now works as a care assistant, and does not disclose the conviction despite undergoing a DBS for every job she's ever had).

**washed up contractor** · 15 November 2018, 13:57

Originally posted by fiisch View Post

If it's spent, it's spent.

Under the Rehabilitation Act, any conviction outside of the disclosure period that is considered spent need not be disclosed.

It's a poorly worded question, but your answer, technically, should be no.

(I used to enforce insurance policy voids etc., so once upon a time had to be quite intimate with the act. My wife also has a silly "battery" conviction when she was 16 - I say silly, as she's about 7st, and the battery conviction was for pushing a strapping 6ft 5" neighbour who was fighting with her brother at the time over a long-running neighbourly dispute.... Anyway, I digress - she now works as a care assistant, and does not disclose the conviction despite undergoing a DBS for every job she's ever had).

In 'normal' engagement circumstances, yes, if spent, it need not be disclosed. For security clearance by Government Department or Police etc however, you need to disclose spent convictions depending what is stated on the relevant forms.

**northernladuk** · 15 November 2018, 16:11

Dan.. You coming to the CUK xmas do?

A dumb question around CRB/DBS and Spent Convictions