Mature student with criminal conviction

pleaselouise

hi wondering if anyone can help

my other half wants to return to education as a mature student. Ideally he would love to study occupational therapy in NUIG but he got a conviction for assault 2 years ago with a suspended sentence of 2 years. This was way out of character and the first and last time he has had something like this. When applying to college do character refs count at all?

Is it pointless in him even thinking about trying to get into a course where he needs to be vetted by Gardai?? How long would somthing like this stay on your record and does it mean he can never work with people in a profession like this?

SB2013

Either that was not his first forray into the judicial system or he was involved in a very serious assault. A conviction alone is not generally sufficient to prevent someone working in an area. He may have to explain himself and may have trouble finding a job after college as a result of it. Best thing would be to contact the college and ask them.

johnnyskeleton

pleaselouise wrote: »

How long would somthing like this stay on your record

Forever, unless the government passes one of the many spent convictions bills that have been raised in recent years. Even then, it's likely to be for less serious offenders and after a much longer time than 2 years (think 5-7 years). I mean, he's barely finished serving the suspended sentence.

and does it mean he can never work with people in a profession like this?

Does a conviction for a violent offence, tried on indictment, prevent someone working with kids and people with disabilities? To find out he would have to contact the relevant work places and professional bodies. He should probably do this before applying to the colleges so that he doesn't do the course and then face disappointment.

I think, though, if you ask yourself would you let your child be treated by someone with a history of violence, the answer becomes obvious. Then again, maybe it is not obvious to everyone.

Odysseus

OP I know many professionals with convictions, some very serious, I know plenty who have served time too. The big difference between them and your BF is time. The have showed that they have more on from that lifestyle, in many ways not just avoiding picking up any more.

Now with saying that I have seen some guys be treated badly because of their past, but if the past really is in the past itmeans nothing to me.

So their are no certainities here, does he know anyone working in that area that he can talk too?

johnnyskeleton

Odysseus wrote: »

OP I know many professionals with convictions, some very serious, I know plenty who have served time too. The big difference between them and your BF is time. The have showed that they have more on from that lifestyle, in many ways not just avoiding picking up any more.

The big difference is relevance. A lawyer convicted of assault is not the same as a lawyer convicted of fraud. The former can be forgiven but the latter is unacceptable. In much the same way that you might hire a recidivist as a driver, provided he has a clean licence.

Here, the suggestion is that a person convicted of a serious violent crime wants access to children and disabled people. I mean, seriously, can he not just get another job? Why not be a physiotherapist? That's similar, and keeps him away from vulnerable people.

Now with saying that I have seen some guys be treated badly because of their past, but if the past really is in the past itmeans nothing to me.

Treated badly? What about the parents? Am I really being a bit conservative in thinking I wouldn't want someone with a violent past treating my children. Sure, he's probably not a foaming at the mouth maniac, but he still has a capacity for violence that is simply inappropriate for the job he wants.

Odysseus

johnnyskeleton wrote: »

The big difference is relevance. A lawyer convicted of assault is not the same as a lawyer convicted of fraud. The former can be forgiven but the latter is unacceptable. In much the same way that you might hire a recidivist as a driver, provided he has a clean licence.

Here, the suggestion is that a person convicted of a serious violent crime wants access to children and disabled people. I mean, seriously, can he not just get another job? Why not be a physiotherapist? That's similar, and keeps him away from vulnerable people.



Treated badly? What about the parents? Am I really being a bit conservative in thinking I wouldn't want someone with a violent past treating my children. Sure, he's probably not a foaming at the mouth maniac, but he still has a capacity for violence that is simply inappropriate for the job he wants.

What do you want me to say? I of a few people with serious hstories in a few professions that certainly bring them into contact kids.

Do you have a right to make a call about such a personal treating your kid or being in a professional relationship or contact with them? I really don't know, by this I mean should you be informed so that you can make that call?

Personally I think not, in my own profession I work with people who can end up with lots of convictions, I see these people change, move on , become different people.

That leaves me in favour of us helping people to move on from their past; not this means how do we protect those who need protecting? Which means I guess that I would be in favour of some type of system being developed around this, as far I know [I could be wrong] the current system is ad hoc.

As to vetting for say HSE jobs, if I'm too OT I apologise but I always on this. My understanding was that vetting was brought in for child protection reasons. If that is correct, should only convictions that are relavent to this be exposed?

As I stated for I aways look at what the person has done with their life since their last conviction, but I would like to see something that protected both sides.

I try not to write people off because of their past, especially if they can show in someway that they are no longer thaat person.

SB2013

Odysseus wrote: »

Personally I think not, in my own profession I work with people who can end up with lots of convictions, I see these people change, move on , become different people.

And how often do you see them change right back to who they were?

Odysseus

SB2013 wrote: »

And how often do you see them change right back to who they were?

To be fair I would not see that often; if someone changes and puts a significant amount of work into I don't see that much. Now I mean a serious amount of work, which in turn means a real chance.

However, I would see plenty that don't bother their hole at all, which is what I think you are implying. There are plenty of them, I don't have any stats but I think that few who reach say a medium amount of 5 years conviction free, and returned to and completed education or are still engaged, have engaged in significant work on themselves during that time and jumped through a few more hoops, have significantly reduced their risk of re-offending. Or would you disagree?

boo-yaw-ka-shaa

'Here, the suggestion is that a person convicted of a serious violent crime wants access to children and disabled people. I mean, seriously, can he not just get another job? Why not be a physiotherapist? That's similar, and keeps him away from vulnerable people.'

Correction!!! Physiotherapists work widely with 'vulnerable people'. Working in paediatrics, disability services, working with people post-stroke and people with severe and debilitating neuological conditions.

Sports physiotherapy and private practice is a small part of the physiotherapy profession.

Also all colleges will require Garda vetting prior to entry on physiotherapy courses and all major employers after graduation will look for garda vetting.