Declaring Criminal Convictions and Ongoing Police investigations

All students are required to inform the University of any relevant conditional cautions, criminal convictions or pending charges/investigations during their time as a student of the University.

Applicant and Student Criminal Convictions Policy and Procedure

During the academic year, you can tell us about a new conviction, caution or investigation by using this form at any time.

Tell us about criminal convictions, charges or current investigations

Salford is committed to increasing social mobility through education, so we don’t see criminal convictions as a barrier to studying with us and we believe in the importance of a second chance. This is set out in law in the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act. We also have a duty to ensure that our university is a safe environment for everyone.

To ensure that we are doing both, we ask you to tell us about relevant unspent criminal convictions or cautions, charges that you have or current ongoing police investigations. This is to support you whilst you are at university and to ensure that we are aware of any risks; the aim is not to disadvantage you in any way in your studies. The information you provide is confidential and only available to a small number of staff on a need-to-know basis.

The first time you will get asked this question is when you accept an offer and choose Salford as your first or firm choice. You will receive an email from Admissions asking you to disclose. It is very important that you tell us when you are requested, so that we can ensure we can support you to continue with your chosen area of study.

We will also ask the same questions every year when you complete Online Registration, in case of a new conviction, caution or investigation since the last time we asked.

The only exception to this is if you are on a School of Health & Society course that requires an enhanced DBS check. In this case the School’s onboarding team will complete all the relevant checks around criminal convictions. More information on how this works can be found at DBS and Occupational Health.

You are only required to tell us about certain types of conviction or investigations, you don’t have to disclose everything. The two words here that are important to what you disclose to us are ‘Unspent’ and ‘Relevant’. If you are unsure, it is always best to tell us.

What is an Unspent/ Spent Conviction/ caution/ reprimand or final warning?

Generally, if you are still in a rehabilitation period for a conviction, caution, reprimand, or final warning it will be ‘Unspent’, and you will need to disclose to us. After your rehabilitation period it will be ‘Spent’ and there is no need to disclose except in serious cases like sexual offences.

You can check what is spent and unspent by either using the government checker or the tool on the charity Unlock’s website https://unlock.org.uk/

What is a Relevant Conviction/ caution/ reprimand or final warning?

These usually relate to crimes against an individual, or to supplying controlled drugs. Here is a list to help you decide if your conviction is relevant. If it is, you will need to tell us.

Any kind of violence including (but not limited to) threatening behaviour, offences concerning the intention to harm or offences which resulted in actual bodily harm,

Sexual offences

The unlawful supply of controlled drugs or substances where the conviction concerns commercial drug dealing or trafficking (drug offences only involving possession are not relevant offences)

Any offences involving firearms or knives.

Any offences involving arson.

Any offences involving terrorism.

If you are currently under investigation

If you are currently under investigation, but have not been convicted of a crime, you are also required to tell us about any relevant investigations (see above). The University’s role here is not to investigate the allegations against you and not to decide whether you have or have not committed the offence. Our role is to help support you whilst you are going through the investigation as we know that studying whilst under investigation by the police can be very stressful, it will also ensure you are safe, and we can work with the police if needed to offer you support.

The information you provide will be confidential to those involved in your support at the University. If, after our consideration of the information you provide, we think it necessary to investigate further, we will contact your third party nominated person. If you wish to provide the details of a third party, such as a probation officer, and agree to authorise the University to communicate about the background of your convictions and current situation please give their full name, position and contact details on the form.

External requests for information from the Police and other agencies

If I do not tell the University, what could happen?

If you do not inform the University of a relevant unspent conviction/ final warning, charge or reprimand that the University subsequently becomes aware of, this may be considered through the Student Misconduct Procedure, or the Fitness to Practice process which could have serious repercussions, and in the most serious cases could result in expulsion from the University, so it is important that you do tell us about anything which is relevant.

What happens when you tell us or disclose?

When you disclose a Criminal Conviction or Ongoing Police Investigation, you may be contacted by us for more information that we may need to make a decision or for clarification on the information you told us about on the form.

Important factors here are things like how long ago the offence took place, are you likely to offend again and what you have learned from the experience. We will also consider any risk to other staff, students and visitors to the University.

In most cases, we will be able to decide on what support you need and what we need to put in place, with the information you provide here. In more serious cases a Criminal Convictions Panel will be convened (sometimes you may be asked to attend this) to decide the best way to support you. We may involve professionals involved in your case/ conviction in this decision-making process if it is appropriate.

After a decision is made, you will be informed within 10 working days. We will also sign post to any external and internal support that may be useful to you.

What sort of things can be put in place?

Agreed regular meetings with you and/ or probation officers, and assigned police officers etc.

A package of support to help you on your course (e.g. your mental health, relationships with staff and students, etc.)

Help to enable you to meet any bail conditions you may have.

If there is a risk identified, helping to manage that risk.

A change in programme, particularly around course that have professional body restrictions

The University is committed to providing the best support for all our students and this process is to ensure that appropriate measures are taken to give you the best chance of success and to ensure that you get the support you require”

It is important to note that some courses lead to professions where professional registration is required, and certain convictions may be problematic should you wish to pursue this career. In rare circumstances, certain convictions may impact on your ability to successfully study for your chosen course. The University will discuss the available options with you, which may include a change in programme, or even withdrawal or interruption from the course.