Bank screening

[northernladuk]

Sorry what is the difference between a caution and a conviction?

That better??

[SueEllen]

That better??

Nope - Kellycell has a habit of asking questions like this, which I'm sure you have also picked up.

[wim121]

Sorry what is the difference between a caution and a conviction?

I agree with what everyone posted after this message but just to clarify, incase the answers online confuse more:

Typically, in this work situation, both have to be declared.

A caution is just a slap on the wrists at the police station saying "dont do that again else if you do, we will prosecute/criminalise you" but it is written down and recorded, so you have to declare it and counts as an offense. Often people accept a caution and indicate guilt to avoid court. A caution disappears in five years, IIRC, from when it was issued.

A conviction is where you go to court and get tried. If guilty, you face fines, community service or prison depending on the crime, etc etc. If you are in prison for long enough, you have to declare it for the rest of your life.

Both a caution and conviction are bad, but at least with a caution, it shows that the prosecution service thought that was adequate action instead of dragging you through court.


Places like banks, schools, etc, usually arent too wild on people, even with cautions though. Your friend will know if they were in trouble as when a policeman warns you verbally, you dont sign anything. With a caution, the sergant stands beside the officer, reads the caution to you and gets you to read it and sign it. You dont forget that in a hurry, unless you are a sociopath.

[SueEllen]

I agree with what everyone posted after this message but just to clarify, incase the answers online confuse more:

Typically, in this work situation, both have to be declared.

The form will clearly say if they want you to declare cautions as well as convictions.

They know that people with cautions will try and get around it by not declaring them, so now most screening forms clearly ask you do declare:
1. Convictions
2. Cautions
3. Pending criminal proceedings.

This last one is unfair as the CPS often do drop things at the last minute stating not enough evidence. This is why you are often advised by the liberty type people if you are offered a choice of a caution or going to court you should go to court.

[wim121]

Very true, all depends on the individual place of employment ..... I have always found, the best policy is complete honesty with the place of potential employment though ... If I was the OP's friend, I would freely admit the incident and explain myself, before someone did a search and then presumed me to be untrustworthy rather than unfortunate and wrong place, wrong time.



Further advice to the OP for her friend though: If he is going for jobs in finance, I have worked in some areas of finance and found many companies who not only check your references, but do credit searches on you as well. It may be best to advise him before looking for work in the sector, to get a credit report and correct any errors.

[wim121]

This last one is unfair as the CPS often do drop things at the last minute stating not enough evidence. This is why you are often advised by the liberty type people if you are offered a choice of a caution or going to court you should go to court.

Really?

Knowing my luck, if I was in that situation, they would prosecute me and send me to prison. I dont think I would do well in prison as im not in to anything kinky and not rough enough around the edges.