Would you hire a painter/odd job person who had a criminal background?

[Beezknees]

Just got me musing really. My DF has been in and out of prison as long as I remember. I am NC with him but I hear things through the grapevine. He has been out of prison for 10 years, fair enough and now is self employed as a painter/odd job man, presumably because he struggles to find employment due to his record. Would you be comfortable having someone doing jobs in your house who has a criminal background? (Previous convictions are non violent but things like burglary, fraud, selling drugs, etc)

I think people deserve a chance to try to turn their lives around but knowing my DF the way I do I would not trust him in my house.

No. He’s got a history of taking things from peoples’ houses, so I wouldn’t want him in my house.

I agree people should have a chance to change, but it sounds like he’s had many chances and not taken them. I think people would be mad to risk him.

Out 10 years, yes I’d have no problem.

Maybe not if I knew him personally but in all likelihood a) I wouldn't know a tradesperson's criminal record and b) I never leave tradespeople unattended anyway - I treat them all like they might pinch something!

People have to be able to find legal employment otherwise obviously they have no option but to return to criminal activity to raise money.

Rehabilitation is possible, you say it is ten years since he was in prison.

Yes, I get that. I struggle to think that he's changed his ways personally - 25 years of being in and out of prison and 5 children with 4 different women, not a very responsible man. He's nearly 60 now so maybe truly has decided it is time to live and work abiding by the law.

I would give him a chance after 10 years. He is trying to make an honest living.

To add, even if I knew someone had been in prison ten years ago, I would not tell others in the community about that for fear of affecting their legal employment.

It is so hard for people to find work after being in prison.

Not self -employed, no. Part of an existing company, yes, absolutely, but would expect constant supervision.

No, I wouldn't, but realistically, how would you know, unless that person offered up a DBS to clients. I assume some do say they are DBS checked, but if you had a past, you wouldn't obviously offer that information up to anyone. Certainly, having two close family members with serious criminal convictions, there is no way anyone would know - I didn't know for a long time, as these things aren't public record and they weren't technically breaking any conditions of their probation.

That said, I think it's 1 in 5 children is sexually abused before they turn 18, so there are a lot of people out there with convictions for offences against children alone as they serve very little prison time relative to other violent crimes. So they are everywhere but the average person just wouldn't know. So I think we may feel a bit of panic about the background of a tradesperson, but no one is considering the risk posed by their kindly 70 year old neighbour who they invite over for a cup of tea or Rosie's dad two houses over who sometimes takes the kids to cubs, because they don't seem so 'strange' or 'dangerous' compared to an unknown painter/decorator.

But no, I wouldn't want to employ anyone who I felt posed any sort of risk, if I could access that information.

You are very personally affected by his actions though, so you will be biased.

He could still be a person who thinks it is OK to burgle AND have made a decision he is going to abide by the law to avoid jail for himself.

What I mean is he doesn't have to have changed his personality to have changed his behaviour. Prison is not much fun and must get harder the older you are.

Regardless of criminal past why would you employ someone you chose to be NC with?? Haven't rtft sorry if you e explained this already

If the offences are spent, the company won't know because regular work wouldn't warrant a DBS check?

It is highly likely you have had people with previous criminal convictions in your home at some point.

No, I am not employing him myself! I am just asking generally if people would employ someone with criminal convictions to do jobs in their home.

The OP is just asking if other people would generally employ a person with a criminal record.

Edited: Ha! x-ed post with the OP.

But yes, I guess nobody would really know he had convictions unless they specifically asked.

Absolutely, I am definitely biased which is why I asked. It's funny because from personal experience I am more likely to feel for strangers who have been in his situation than I do for him, because his actions affected me personally whereas a stranger's did not.

My neighbour has a criminal background and does exactly this kind of work. If you'd asked me before knowing him I would have said "no problem", but having seen his behaviour towards his family close up, there's no way in hell I'd allow them into my home.

You’d mostly not know though would you? It’s like anything, when you hire someone you get a feeling about them and you either go with them or don’t.

Think this is completely normal if someone has hurt you

But for society it is good that the days of banishment/ostracism are behind us, so that dodgy/bad people do have scope to start fresh with strangers, as that is what makes it possible to give up crime.

Approx 1 in 4 people in UK have a conviction or caution and the number is even higher for males, so we have probably all unknowingly employed someone with a conviction in the home or workplace as long as the job doesn't require enhanced DBS.
Thing is, there's usually no way of knowing. So all those people saying 'I wouldn't' actually would.

27% of the UK population has a criminal record. Okay so a lot of those won't have been to prison, but I think there's some naiveity on this thread about how realistic it is to avoid hiring, working with and socialising with people who have been convicted of an offence. It's highly unlikely anyone will know about his convictions anyway.

We had one day of work done last week. We got 3 quotes all the same price. When I googled the builders name it came up with a burglary assault news article (his name is not common and same area so pretty sure it was him). But he came across as the most knowledgeable, seemed genuine and decent about the work so we hired him.

He took a phone call during the work which I heard part of which then made me certain the news article was about him! I stayed in the adjacent room, left no valuables and DH ensured he also worked from home that day. He did a good job and I'd use him again.

Not to my knowledge no.

I’ve never asked any trades person for anything other than the quote and the date they can turn up, how would anyone know?

No.

Depends what it's for.

I hire someone a few times a year, and he has been in and out of prison all his life as an addict, but a couple of years ago turned his life around, set up his own business, regained sole custody of his children and is doing his best. Why would I not hire him?