ex-offender.co.uk
I know what it means to me! Or, at least think I know what the term means! The journey for me applies specifically to the act of exclusion which, arguably favours the constructs of recidivism. However, I believe the problem with the term ex-offender is not the term itself, after all it reveals change, cessation of undesirable behaviour and desistance from crime. It is how we perceive the term ex-offender and use it, that shapes the perception of those labelled with it. Sadly the dominant perception is pejorative in terms of society, communities, opportunities, policy and practice. The website aims to bring together ex-offenders, independent of organisations or agenda. It is hoped that ex-offenders not affiliated to anyone will voice their views, opinions and hopefully critiques of the services and policies attributed to the criminal justice system and rehabilitation. My invitation is to you whoever is reading this, let us know, what does the term ‘ex-offender’ mean to you?
About the Author
Raymond Lunn Development Manager & Desistance Editor graduated from the University of Leeds studying Sociology and Social Policy (2009). Raymond campaigns and comments independently about the impact of policy on rehabilitation and recidivism. Recent project involvement include: Change the Record by Nacro (2010), The Road from Crime (2011) by the Discovering Desistance Project, including the creation and developing various guises of ex-offender.co.uk since 2009. 
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Cannot agree with you more, Raymond. The term is a societal term and pop it into a search engine and what do you get? A list of organisations helping ex-offenders. When I become an ex-offender I’ll be 51 years old. I can put it along the other ex’s I am. Ex-friend, ex-mother, ex-sister, ex-daughter. I’ll have the biggest collection of nouns prefixed with ex, I might make the Guinness Book of records.
I think it’s a nice pleasant term. It has a nice ring to it. Much nicer than ex-con or ex-crim. It’s a much more politically correct term than the two examples I have given. It’s in the eye of the beholder. Rehabilitated offender is too much of a mouthful.
I had this discussion on a forum about the term and how I felt the term didn’t apply to me. I am the daughter of the crazy woman in town. I’m not concerned with the term and I don’t hear many ex-offenders calling themselves ex-offenders unless they’re among other ex-offenders.
Tracey, I spent 11 years officially and correctly being labelled an offender, it is what I was. I then spent the next 17 years being considered dangerous and not rehabilitated within the eyes of law and policy (Rehabilitation of Offenders Act). I say 17 years because of the recent amendments to the act (LASPO), apparently I no longer have a non-spent conviction for life! The changes are sadly impotent and mean nothing in terms of being considered ‘rehabilitated’. I say they’re impotent because a DBS check still reveals convictions, it is just against the law to discriminate against anyone with a spent conviction. How is it proven I’ve being discriminated against during the selection process – the application goes straight in the bin!
I spent seven years not disclosing my non-spent conviction or any conviction, I ended up having a successful career in sales and account management, that ended when I grew a conscience and wanted to challenge the devil on my back. I’ve been an ‘ex-offender’ ever since!
Raymond – Ah yes. The indoctrination of people with LASPO. I remember when that irksome change was handed Royal Assent and ex-offenders were lulled into believing it was a step in the right direction. As you rightly point out, the train coming in the opposite direction is the DBS.
Do I want to be seen as an ex-offender? I couldn’t care less what the label is. As I have highlighted in the other thread, there will be discrimination in every corner no matter which way we turn. For every ten job applications, it will always be the one with the ‘clean record’ which will be successful. I don’t have to disclose in anything I do, I’m not asked.
I’m an ex-offender because society tells me and those around me I am. It is in the public interest that I’m out there (according to one upholder of the law and I have no recourse to fight this and I don’t. That’s what the term means to me. It is nothing other than a label just like many people who go around saying they’re honest.
I don’t label myself, I don’t have to. I have a society around me which is more than capable of doing this for me and does a mighty fine job of it. Commendable in fact.
The devil on my back is eating away at me at the moment, but in time that will go and I will be able to shake him off.