Does Having a Criminal Record Mean I Will Fail the DBS Check?
The DBS Check is not something that you can pass or fail like a test or exam. It is simply a record of your past criminal history. A Basic DBS Check would only look for unspent convictions; whereas an Enhanced DBS Check looks for spent, and unspent convictions, local police information and depending on the job you are applying for will check the government’s barred list, if you are planning to work with children or vulnerable adults. The DBS Check gives your prospective employers the opportunity to assess your criminal record and make a judgement about whether you are still eligible to be an employee or should be eliminated from the recruitment process, depending on the job role you have applied for.
What Does it Mean if the Job Asks for a Basic DBS Check?
If you have past convictions (that were non-capital offences) and these have been spent, then the Basic DBS Check will not identify these. The Basic DBS will look for unspent convictions. If you committed a capital crime in the past, such as murder, this type of crime is never spent, so regardless of how long ago that crime was committed, it would still show on a Basic DBS Check.
What Does it Mean if the Job Asks for a Standard DBS Check?
The Standard DBS Check will record unspent and spent convictions regardless of how long ago these were committed. However, many employers will fairly assess criminal records, and if this was a minor offence an exceptionally long time ago, and you have been an upstanding citizen adding value to the community and workplace ever since, then the employer may still be happy to employ you; this is at their discretion. A Standard DBS Check will show any official warnings, reprimands, and cautions that the police have issued you.
What Does it Mean if the Job Asks for an Enhanced DBS Check?
This will check for spent and unspent convictions, official warnings, cautions, reprimands, plus the local police are asked about any information they hold on you, that is relevant to the job role you have applied for. This can include notes that were made when you were arrested, or observations about you when you were held in custody.
What Does it Mean if the Job Asks for an Enhanced DBS Check with Barred List?
This is the most thorough DBS Check that can be conducted, it will look for spent and unspent convictions, cautions, reprimands, warnings, local police information and it will check against the government’s Barred Lists to see if you are banned from working with children or vulnerable adults. If you have been placed on a Barred List, this is because your past behaviour has shown that you are a danger to either of these two groups and should not be working with them.
In summary, having a criminal record does not necessarily mean that you will be eliminated as a job candidate, as a result of your DBS Check and past criminal history; but this will largely depend upon the type of crime you committed, and the job role you have applied for. It may depend on how long ago the crime was committed, if it is spent, and you have just had a Basic DBS Check, this will not show on the check. If you have since lived a crime-free life and have been an upstanding citizen, employers may be less likely to consider a minor past crime, if it is irrelevant to the job role.
