The Impacts of a Conviction for Violence

A conviction for an offence involving violence can lead to some unique challenges in both your life and the lives of your family members / spouse / partner.

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If your offence related to domestic violence, you may find that you face some very specific additional challenges.

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It is important to understand the different elements of your life that may be affected so that you can understand what action you need to take in terms of disclosing your offence and the support you can access.

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It is also important to note that it is possible to move forward and to rebuild your life, and that having stable employment, accommodation, healthcare and social support will all be of benefit in creating a positive future and reducing the likelihood of reoffending.

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MAPPA

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You may find yourself placed under the Multi-Agency Public Protection Arrangements (MAPPA).

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This will involve specialist monitoring by police and other professionals. You can find more information on our MAPPA page.

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Family

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Your family may be affected in a variety of ways.

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• They may struggle to make sense of what has happened
• Family ties may be broken
• If you have children, or if your partner or spouse is pregnant, you may have involvement from Children and Families Social Work
• People living in the same household as you may also have their employment affected by your conviction

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Employment

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Your employment may be impacted in various ways. This could include:

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• Having to disclose your conviction to a current employer or to a new employer
• Media coverage affecting your employment chances
• Being unable to work in certain jobs that involve children or vulnerable adults

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Mental Health

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The impact of having a conviction for a violent offence affects many areas of life and therefore can have an impact on your mental health. Factors affecting mental health can include:

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• Unemployment
• Isolation
• Shame
• Financial struggles
• Family estrangement
• Ongoing agency involvement
• Registration requirements

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Reputation

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Having your conviction reported in the media can create long lasting reputational damage. Other factors affecting your reputation can include:

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• Community response
• Family response
• Friends’ response
• The Google effect

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You may find our page on Online Reputation Management helpful.

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‍Housing

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If you are renting, your landlord may be entitled to information relating to your conviction.

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You may not be able to return to your family home due to Children and Families Social Work, Criminal Justice Social Work or police restrictions.

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There may be restrictions on where you are allowed to live. This should be guided by any conditions that have been set for you, and you have a right to expect transparency from professionals regarding any restrictions that have been put in place, to help you to understand why.

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You might decide to move away from where you are living and make a fresh start, in which case you should be supported to do so by all agencies.

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Insurance

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Various types of insurance might be impacted by having a conviction involving violence. It is worth checking whether you need to disclose to your insurer regarding:

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• House insurance
• Car insurance
• Life insurance
• Travel insurance

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Travel

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Travelling overseas can involve jumping through a complex set of hoops, all dependent on your personal circumstances.

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If you are on licence, it is likely you will need to get permission to travel outside the UK. Permission will be given only in exceptional circumstances.

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More information can be found on our Travel page.

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Support

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There are a number of organisations who may be able to offer you support, both after an arrest for a violent offence and following conviction for a violent offence.

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• Respect: the UK charity helping perpetrators of domestic abuse
• Many Local Authorities run a programme called the Caledonian System. It is a behaviour programme for men convicted of domestic abuse offences and offers support services for their partners and children. It aims at reducing the risk of re-offending, while supporting women and children.

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Telling People

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Telling people about a conviction for a sexual offence can be particularly challenging. You can find further information on our Telling People page.

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If your offence related to domestic violence, you may find yourself subject to the Disclosure Scheme for Domestic Abuse Scotland, which allows members of the public to find out whether a person has a history of domestic abuse. More information is available on our Community Disclosure Scheme page.

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