Have Your Say: Poll Findings

At Beyond Convictions, we believe that meaningful change starts by listening.

Our Have Your Say poll explored attitudes towards employment, housing, health, stigma, rehabilitation, lived experience and second chances for people with convictions.

A total of 416 people took part, and the results reveal a strong message: people should have the opportunity to move forward, contribute and build a future beyond their past.

A Past Conviction Shouldn’t Define Someone’s Future

One of the clearest findings came from our first question.

When asked whether a past conviction should define someone’s future, 89.7% said no. A further 8.7% said it depends, while just 1.7% said yes.

This matters because the consequences of a conviction can continue long after a sentence has ended.

The result suggests overwhelming support for seeing people as more than something that happened in their past and recognising their capacity for change.

Strong Support for Fair Employment Opportunities

Employment emerged as a major theme throughout the poll.

When asked whether employers should give people with convictions a fair opportunity to demonstrate what they can offer, 85.1% said “yes, absolutely.”

Only 0.5% said no.

At the same time, respondents identified employment as the biggest barrier to rebuilding life after a conviction, selected by 45.4% of participants. Housing followed at 29.3%, health and wellbeing at 13.7%, and stigma at 11.5%.

There was another encouraging finding. When people were asked whether knowing a job applicant had a previous conviction would change how they viewed their suitability for a role, 58.7% said no.

A further 27.9% said it would depend on the role and 10.3% said it would depend on the circumstances.

These findings reinforce the importance of fair recruitment practices that consider the individual, the role, the circumstances and what someone can contribute today.

Housing Barriers Are Widely Recognised

Finding somewhere safe and stable to live can be fundamental to rebuilding a life.

Our poll found that 73.6% believe people with convictions face significantly greater barriers when trying to secure suitable housing, while another 20.7% said they sometimes experience greater barriers.

Together, these responses show widespread recognition that accessing housing can remain a serious challenge.

A second chance is much harder to turn into reality without the foundations of stability.

Language and Stigma Matter

The words used to describe people can shape how they are perceived and treated.

When asked whether the language used to describe people with convictions contributes to stigma, 68.5% said significantly, with a further 25.5% saying it sometimes does.

Language can reinforce a label, but it can also recognise the person behind it.

At Beyond Convictions, we believe people-first language is an important part of challenging stigma and creating a culture where rehabilitation and positive change are recognised.

Lived Experience Should Help Shape Services

One of the strongest results concerned lived experience.

83.4% said people with lived experience of the criminal justice system should definitely have a greater role in designing the services that support people with convictions. Another 13.2% supported this to some extent.

People who have experienced barriers firsthand can bring insight into what works, what does not and where services need to change.

Lived experience should not simply be heard. It should help shape decisions, services and solutions.

Rehabilitation Is Seen as a Route to Safer Communities

The strongest level of agreement across the poll came when we asked about rehabilitation.

91.6% said effective rehabilitation can definitely help reduce reoffending and make communities safer.

A further 7.2% agreed to some extent.

This sends an important message. Rehabilitation and public safety do not need to be viewed as competing priorities.

Helping people access opportunities, stability and effective support can be part of creating safer and stronger communities.

Does the Punishment End When the Sentence Does?

We also asked whether people with convictions can continue to experience punishment after completing their sentence.

64.9% said this happens often, while 24.8% said sometimes.

Together, that means almost nine in ten respondents believe people can experience some form of continuing punishment after their formal sentence has ended.

Barriers to employment, housing and other opportunities can make moving forward considerably more difficult.

If rehabilitation is the goal, we also need to consider what happens when someone has completed their sentence and is trying to rebuild.

See the Person, Not Just the Past

Our final question brought many of the themes together.

We asked:

When we meet someone with a conviction, what should matter most?

The leading answer was clear: 64.4% chose “who they are today.”

Another 21.4% selected their actions since, 11.1% their potential and only 3.1% their past.

That result captures the wider message running throughout the poll.

People want to see the person, not just their past.

From Conversation to Positive Change

These results demonstrate considerable support for second chances, rehabilitation, fair employment opportunities, greater recognition of housing barriers and a stronger role for lived experience.

They also highlight where work remains to be done.

Changing attitudes is important, but lasting progress requires those attitudes to translate into opportunities, policies and practices that enable people to move forward.

At Beyond Convictions, we will continue creating space for these conversations and using lived experience to challenge stigma, improve understanding and encourage fairer opportunities.

Thank you to all 416 people who took part.

Your views help challenge stigma, shape understanding and build a fairer future for all.